A Journey's End
by unbroken.dreams
Summary: Set after 2x14 "Manhattan": Emma's life is about to get even more messed up when she has not only Neal to deal with but also Hook, who's come to town. (Captain Swan Story but has parts of Swan Thief as well!)
1. That call, you wish you hadn't picked up

Hey everyone :)

I hope you enjoy this Story! If some people like it I will try to update once a week (maybe every Thursday) - IF you like it please leave a review. They mean so much more to me than following or favouriting a Story.

As mentioned in the summary - this is a Captain Swan Story, but it has Swan Thief Parts, as well! So don't say you haven't been warned ;) Also this Story Sets after "Manhattan". Means everything that happens in the show after that episode will not be a part of this Story.

Anyways, here's the first Chapter:

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**A JOURNEY'S END  
**

**Chapter 1: That call, you wish you hadn't picked up  
**

„Hey Beautiful."

Ugh. Why did she had to answer the phone? While Neal was talking to Henry Emma's phone had rang, so she had gone into the hall to answer it. But she should have known better than to answer a call from an unkown number and she probably hadn't - if Gold hadn't been the only other option to talk to.

„How's the hospital? I hope your wounds still hurt."

„Uh, Love, you really need to work on your communication skills. You can put that on your list, right next to: Learning how to trust people and being nice when someone's hurt." Emma rolled her eyes. He was such a jackass but of course he wasn't even closed to done: „See, a normal response when someone calls would be: Hey. Hello. Maybe an Aye, if you feel like embrasing your inner pirate. And an acceptable response when **I** call would be: Hello handsome."

„Let's try it this way: You have 5 seconds to explain why I should be wasting my time and keep talking to you. Otherwise I'll hang up."

„You mean aside from the fact that the sound of your voice makes my wounds heal much much faster?"

Emma sighted. „Bye, Hook."

She was going to hang up but heard him saying „One last question, Swan." For a moment she thought about ignoring him. There was nothing he could say or ask that might be important to her, she knew that – but her instinct told her to listen.

„What?"

„Who is that man, who's talking to Henry on the fire escape?" Her eyes got wide open and she stormed back into the apartment immediately.

Gold looked at her in confusion. „What's wrong?" He wanted to know but Emma didn't answer. She rushed towards the window and tried to find Hook but she didn't see him.

She put her phone back on her ear and asked: „Where are you?"

„Right behind you." In shock Emma turned around but there was no one. Hook started laughing into her ear. „I'm everywhere and nowhere my dear. Just know that. Bring me my crocodile. Or your boy might get hurt instead." Emma froze in horror and found herself incapable of saying (or thinking) anything. „Get out there. I will call you again and we can chit-chat about the details, when you're alone. 'Till then, Love." He hung up before she was able to process his threat.

„Miss Swan?" Mr. Gold asked and brought her back into reality. „Who was that?"

Emma looked at him in shock and tried to make something up but it didn't work. Telling him who it was wasn't an option either, which is why she said: „An old... acquaintance." She looked through the window before she stepped outside the fire escape.

„Henry", she said and he and Neal both turned around. „I have to go meet someone. Will you be okay staying here with Neal and Mr. Gold for a while?"

Henry shrug his shoulders and turned his back on her again. „Sure." He was still mad a her and it broke her heart to leave things like this but she hadn't had time to fix this right now.

Neal was about to turn around too, when Emma said: „What about you? Will you be okay staying here with your father?"

It took him a moment before he answered. „I'm not with him. I'm with my son."

Emma shook her head in disappointment. Neal of all people was mad at her? If there had ever been **anyone** who didn't have the right to be mad at someone it was him! But she didn't want to get into this in front of Henry. Therefore she just got inside the apartment again and headed towards the door.

„When can we expect your return?" Gold asked and she stopped walking.

She turned around and shook her head without realizing that he hadn't asked her a _yes or no_ question. „I don't know. Soon, I hope. I'll be in touch."

**: : : : : : :**

He couldn't be far from here. Whereever he was he could see the fire escape. Emma's mind was racing with options as she stepped outside the building and just hung up the phone again. She slowly walked down the street, constantly looking around when her phone ran again.

„What took you so long?" Hook asked she second she picked up.

„There are a lot of stairs."

„You were on the phone."

„Yes, with Mary-Margaret. Imagine this: It seems Regina showed up in Storybrooke again. You wouldn't happen to know if Cora has gotten to her daughter get, would you?"

„Just for the fun of it, let's say I do. What would you be willing to do for that information?"

He was such a pig, but at least a pig that was easy to distract. No wonder Cora picked him. He thought he was the great big evil pirate but from everything Emma had seen he wasn't too smart. Also he didn't know anything about this world. Two things she could easily use to her advantage. As she answered she didn't stop looking for him. „I could take that Hook of yours and impale you with it. Would be quite ironic, don't you think?"

„You wouldn't do that."

„Just for the fun of it, let's say I would."

He took a short ironic laughter. „Just like I remember you. Clever, brilliant, with a tendency towards masochism and still pretending you're not attracted to me."

„Oh, I'm sorry, I must have missed your pick-up-line. Was it _It's okay to hurt innocent people in order to get to the enemy_, or _I'm going to kill your child_?"

„I'm afraid you must have misunderstood me."

„There is nothing to misunderstand. You threaten my kid - you're dead."

„Uh, there's that fire I like about you."

„Stop playing around, Hook! You claim to be a pirate but you're hiding like a 5-year-old. Not very brave." Emma knew were to get a man like Hook so it would hurt him: His ego.

„If you think I'm afraid of you you're wrong."

Emma didn't see Hook but she did see someone else and was relieved. „If that were true I wouldn't be talking to you over the phone. You're just scared that I'm going to knock you unconscious again, like I did at the lake."

He hung up. And then finally: She saw him. He was climbing down the fire escape of another building and since he wasn't looking at what she was doing she used the opportunity and walked over to the people she'd seen.

A couple of moments later Hook walked towards her and seemed angry but also in a weird way happy. Happy about what? To see her? Emma couldn't figure it out but also couldn't care less. „I am not scared of you, Swan!"

Emma didn't say anything and just kept staying were she was.

„I could kill you in the blink of an eye. You had nothing but **luck** at the lake." he yelled but before he reached Emma someone behind her started yelling as well.

„FREEZE! POLICE!"

In no time the police men had pressed Hook at the ground and they found a large knife with him. Probably the one he wanted to kill Gold with. Hook looked horrified and when they put handcuffs on him and told him his rights his look wandered towards Emma. She almost felt sorry for him – he had no idea what was going on and was scared, she could see that in his eyes.

„That's him, Ma'am?" one of the police men asked and she nodded.

„Yes."

Now Hook understood a little bit better. „So, you guys are Mary-Margaret, huh?" he asked with a resigning grin and shook his head, which made him look even crazier to the police men. „What did you tell them, Love?" he asked while the police was leading him to their car.

„The truth. That you think you're Captain Hook who's looking for his crocodile to skin." Luckily for her in this world a man like that was considered to be nuts. He was also working this crazy-thing very good, because he was laughing as they put him into the car. „Be sure to check his phone. I'm sure he stole that, too." she said to the police men.

„If you think your son is safe now you're wrong. If anything I was **saving** him! You know I'm not lying, Love!" Emma froze as she watched the door getting closed and the car driving away. As she stood here she didn't know a lot. She had no idea how Hook had found them or even got here... how he figured out to use a phone of how he managed to get under her skin every time they met. But she did know three things.

One: He hadn't lied.

Two: Henry was still in danger.

And three: Hook was the only person who knew anything about that.

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That's it for today. And remember, leave a review if you want to read more!


	2. That choice, you don't have

Wow so many reviews for only the first chapter. Thank you all so very very much!

at CLAMPsFluffMeisterGirl: I already explained it via private message but I'm not sure if you read it. It's not that there's no explanation for all of those things (and more), you just don't know it yet ;) This story is from Emmas POV. Which means you will find out, when she finds out.

But enough talk from me, let's get to the point, shall we? Chapter 2! Here it is!

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**Chapter 2: That choice, you don't have**

„Please tell me you're not thinking about bailing Hook out of jail. You were the one who got him arrested! And for a good reason!"

„I know but... Mary-Margaret, he didn't lie. There is someone or something out there that wants to hurt Henry and Hook is the only one who can help me on that subject."

„Even if that was true, do you really think he's going to help you? As far as he's concerned you have betrayed him in the past. He has no reason not to do the same thing to you."

Emma sighted. „I know he doesn't. But I haven't been wrong about him... not once! I always knew when he was lying and when he wasn't. I just didn't trust my instinct." She never did when it came to Hook.

„Emma, if Henry really is in danger you shouldn't be with Hook you should be with your son! All he has right now to protect him is Rumpelstiltskin without the ability to use magic and his son, who hasn't had any contact with our world for god knows how long. None of them will be able to protect Henry. He needs you."

„He doesn't want me to be around him right now." Emma closed her eyes to keep tears from coming.

Mary-Margaret was silent for a moment before she said: „Emma... is this about finding out what wants to hurt Henry or about you hiding from him?"

She decided to be honest. „Both, I guess."

„Look. He's mad at you, yes. But that's no reason to stay away from him. You're mother and son, no matter what happens between the two of you, you'll always love each other." Mary-Margaret had a talent of saying these things and believing in them so hard that it almost seemed like reality. Unfortunately Emma had spend all her live realizing that life wasn't that simple. And a couple of weeks with Mary-Margaret as her mother didn't change the last 28 years or the experiences she's made.

„Yes, but I already abandoned him when he was a baby and now... not only did I lie to him about his father I also tried do prevent them from meeting when I found out who Bae was. There's only so much an 10-year old can take."

„There's only so much a 28-year old can take as well."

A light smile appeared on her lips.

„Emma, no matter how old we are we'll always need someone to look up to and to support us." That was true, since it was the reason Emma called her 'mother'. "And we'll always make mistakes, too. That's a part of being human – as is forgiveness. Henry will forgive you, he just needs time. In the meantime... just know that your father and I will always support you. And... if you believe Hook can help you we'll support that, too." As she said that she sounded reluctant, but she was trying hard to be okay with it, Emma could tell. „You just shouldn't go there in order to avoid Henry."

It was still strange for Emma to have a mother by her side now but this time her words actually got through to her and helped. It felt good to know that she had Mary-Margarets and Davids support. „I'm not. I'm going there to help Henry." At least that covered 98% of her intentions. 1% was indeed to avoid Henry just a little bit and the other 1%... Emma didn't want to admit it, but she still remembered Hooks look when the police had taken him in. He had been so help- and clueless about what was going on and she felt sorry for him. Even though she knew she shouldn't, she did. „Neal can take care of Henry while I'm gone. He has spend all his life running away and not being found by... anyone" Including the arm of the law „He'll be able to protect Henry, if he has to."

„Have you told him Henry might me in danger yet?"

„Not yet."

„How are you? Having to deal with Neal again. And... knowing he's also Gold's son."

Emma sighted. „Once I find out I'm going to let you know."

After a while they hung up and Emma sat in the car she rented in order to drive to the police station. She had exactly two things to do... one: Calling Neal, as she told Mary-Margaret. And two: Getting Hook out of jail and squeez as much information out of him as she could. She was not looking forward to any of these things but also knew that she couldn't just keep sitting here for the next weeks, waiting how it would all play out. Though the part of her who didn't want to deal with any of this wanted to try it. But she didn't give that part a chance and dialed Neals number.

„Hello?"

„Hi... it's Emma."

„How do you have my number?"

„I found you. Does it really surprise you that I found your number as well?"

He took a short laughter. „I guess it doesn't. Why are you calling?"

„Are you alone?"

Almost at the same time she asked she heard a door getting closed. „I am now."

„I don't think I'll be coming back tonight. It's possible that Henry is in danger. I need you to take very good care of him. Do not let him go anywere alone, don't let anyone near him, even people you know. Trust no one."

„Emma what's going on?" he sounded nervous which of course was normal. Emma was, too, but she was trying really hard not to sond like it.

„I don't know. Yet. That's what I'm trying to figure out."

„Why are you calling me? My father's the one with the magical skills. He doesn't have them here, sure, but believe me... if he really wants to use magic he will find a way. Even here."

„I don't know if you noticed, but your father isn't the most trustworthy person in this or any other world."

„Well according to you I am not either."

Emma gulped. „I don't trust you when it comes to me. But I trust that you would rather give your own life than let something happen to Henry..."

Silence.

„Why are you so sure of that?"

Emma hesitated. „Because I saw the way you looked at him. Like a parent. And a parent wouldn't let anything happen to his child." It didn't matter for how long someone was a parent. No one knew that better than her.

There was a long silence and Emma could almost feel how overwhelmed he was. „Neal. You can do this. Look, I need to go now... just... remember: Trust no one. Maybe not even your dad."

„Don't worry. I would rather put my life in the hands of a drug-addict homeless guy than my dad."

„As long as you don't let a drug-addict homeless guy watch Henry..." Emma smiled and she could swear so did Neal, before an awkward silence took place again.

It was Neal who broke it: „Look, I don't know what you're about to do but I'm guessing it doesn't involve gathering flowers and doing your nails..." Once again a silent smile appeared on her lips. „Whatever you do... be careful, will you?"

She looked at he police station while answering: „I will. Bye"

„Bye." It took er a moment before she hung up. After she did she still sat in the car for a while before she finally managed to get out of it and walked towards the police station.

**: : : : : :**

„Miss Swan, I don't understand, you were the one who **called** us." The police officer probably thought she was crazy, too.

„Yes, I know. It's just, he's my boyfriend and we had a fight... it's actually a funny story" she faked a laugh. „We were on our way to a friends party with a pirate theme. I didn't dress up because I wasn't in the mood. But when he started flirting with other women again when I was standing right beside him I lost it and called you on him. I wanted to teach him a lesson but I think he's learned it now."

„Are you sure? He's not pressuring you to say all that? The officers did say he was yelling at you about killing you... and they found a knife."

„Yes, I know. We were practising that little play... about the pirates fighting and my character wanted to rescue her son.. We were going to perform that on the party and I got him to practice it when I saw your colleagues. Sorry." She put on the nicest smile she was able to fake. „And about the knife... that's totally his fault. He was supposed to wrap it, after all this was the present for our friend, who collects knife. That's actually one of the reasons why we fight all the time: He says he's going to do something, like wrap up a gift, but really is just waiting long enough for me to do it myself. Except this time - I didn't." She needed to talk to two other officers, explain how he lost one of his hands, where he got the very real hook, apologizing over and over again - but finally they agreed on letting him go.

When Hook came out they must have told him that his _girlfriend_ was here because when he came up to her he greeted her with: „I see you've come to your senses, Darling." He also put his arms around her, pulled her towards himself and before she knew what was happening he had his lips pressed against hers.

Since she had actually told the officers that she was his girlfriend she wasn't just not allowed to push him away but also needed to kiss him back. So she did. He seemed surprised at first, because he froze, but caught up pretty quickly and turned the innocent hello-kiss into a very passionate one, which made it surprisingly hard for Emma to stop it. When she did she smiled embarrased at the cops, took Hooks hand and started walking towards the exit. „Again... I'm very sorry for all the trouble you went through. And thank you so much for not pressing any charges."

„Yes, thank you." Hook added and then turned towards Emma. „I'm so very glad you dediced to clarify the situation, Sunshine. I wouldn't have known what to do without you in my life."

Finally they were outside the station and Emma immediately used the fact that they were holdings hands to twist his arm around, which made him get down on one knee and swallow a scream. „Oh, honey, if you want a proposal all you need to to is ask." he joked but Emma wasn't amused.

„Cut it out, Hook. I got you out so you can tell me what danger Henry is in. Not so you can **kiss** me, what's gotten into you?!"

„Hey, it's not my fault. They told me my _girlfriend_ has explained the situation, then I saw you and... well... you can't put such a delicious stake in front of a dog and expect him not to take a bite." He didn't even **try** to cover up checking her out, as he said that.

Emma leaned down and said softly: „If that dog so much as shows his teeth again... the stake will make sure he won't be able to eat anything ever again." She let go of him and started walking towards the car. „You're coming with me."

„And why would I do that, considering you just threatened to castrate me?"

„Because there is still a lot you don't know about this world – and I do. And if you think getting you arrested is the worst thing I can do t you, you're wrong. Now get in the car, before I run you over with it. You remember how much fun that is, right?"

He followed her with an amused smile on his lips (he was smiling? What the hell was wrong with him?!) and said: „Aye aye, Ma'am."

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I hope you liked it :) Let me now by reviewing and I will update next Thursday!


	3. That game, you never wanted to play

I am so sorry I didn't update yesterday! I promised to do so every Thursday but I've been mixing up days in my head all weak. Anyway, I know today is Friday and this Chapter's late but it's finally here :)

I'd like to say a big thank you to all who have reviewed! I can't tell you how much reviews mean to me.

to Rosabelmay: I'm not exactly sure "Someone named a Fanfic like that" counts much for a teacher - but let me know how it works out lol (And you're welcome, of course^^)

to Da'Ink: Aww I'm so glad you said everone was in character. I am always trying to keep everyone IC and it's great to see I succeeded so far :)

Anyway, enough yadda yadda yadda from me. Enjoy Chapter 3!

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**Chapter 3: That game, you never wanted to play**

„I'm confused. I thought we were driving to your beloved son. You know, so you can jump in front of him if anything is attacking him and play the part of the hero you love so much." Hook said after Emma had parked the car on the edge of the city park. Little did Hook know that the park wasn't too far away from were Neal lived, but she had driven around iin Manhattan to make him lose orientation and it was nice to see that it had worked.

„I'm not letting you near Henry, until you tell me what's going on. And I mean everything."

Of course Hook took that as an execuse to put on a dirty grin. „If you want to know **everything** we'll be here for a long time. But I can live with that. The two of us... in a car... who knows what might happen."

Emma smirked. He was so predictable. „Actually..." she unbuckled her seatbelt and leaned over to him. „I know exactly what is going to happen."

Hook looked confused and delightfully surprised at her action and grinned. „Oh yeah? And what's that?"

Her lips hovered over his as she said „This." With a quick action she used handcuffs to chain his hand to the car door.

„Uh... of course." he said while looking at his chains. „You know, you might want to think of something new to do with me. This is getting old."

Emma didn't care. As she leaned back to her seat she replied: „Old or not old, it works everytime. So either this trick is very good or you are not too smart. Or both." He twisted his eyes and leaned back in his seat.

„Just to be clear, if you don't tell me what I want to know: I'm going to leave you here. And when the police finds you, you're going right back into jail."

„I thought jail wasn't the worst thing you could do to me."

„It's not. But it suits you, considering you're have murdered, hurt and stolen from god knows how many people in your life."

„I'm a pirate. That's what we do."

„Try telling that to a judge."

„Are you telling me you have never stolen anything from anyone in your entire life? Never lied and schemed to get something you wanted?"

Emma hesitated. „No. I haven't."

„Just like you've never been in love?"

She felt caught. How was it that Hook was able to see through her lies? Usually she was pretty good at that.

„That guy, who was talking to your boy today. That's him? The guy you... **haven't** been in love with?"

„We're not going to talk about that right now." Emma said.

„Oh come on. You know everything important about my life, including the woman I loved and how she got killed by the guy came here with. And I know nothing about yours."

„Yes, but only because you feel the annoying need to overshare all of that with random people you meet."

He looked at her with eyes she had never seen before with him. It was like suddenly he understood something. „Oh, that's what you think?" Emma didn't reply. What did he mean? After a while he slowly shook his head. „You're not random, Emma. In fact you're anything **but** random. And while I may **over**share... you **under**share."

It took her a while to reply, because his words really got to her. Every single one. It was hard to her to get back on track but she did. „Right now the only one who's undersharing is you. I'd like you to tell me what you know. Now."

Hook sighted. „Alright. If that's what it takes for you to believe I'm basically on your side here..."

„There is no such thing as being _basically_ on someones side... you either are or you aren't. And just to be clear: Someone who's been working with Cora... can't say anything to make me believe he's on my side."

„I was only working with her to get here, how many times do I have to tell you that? And I wouldn't have had to if you hadn't mistrusted me for no – reason – at all." He was never going to let that go, was he? The fact that he made **her** responsible for going back to Cora made her feel sick inside. And she didn't even know why.

„Did you work with her again, to get to Manhattan as well?" Emma asked but he shrug his shoulders.

„Maybe." He was being vague but Cora was the only way how Hook would have been able to find them so quickly. Or... no. Actually it wasn't the **only** way. He'd had a phone. Cora didn't know how these worked. That left only one other option: Regina. She must have given him a phone, Emmas number and explained to him how to call her. She also had the power to bring him here. Emma didn't quite know why she did it (maybe to get rid of Hook, who knew), but she knew it meant one thing: Cora and Regina were working together. It would have been too much of a coincidence for both of them working together with Hook - independently of one another.

While she was thinking Hook looked at her in silence until he decided to speak again: „You know what... considerung you have mistreated me in the past, and you still don't trust me, I believe I have earned some answers, too. So how about that: You get to ask a question and I answer... then **I** get to ask a question and you answer. Both of us will answer truthfully. No lies. No secrets."

Emma shook her head. „That's not how this is going to be." It seemed to her like game of truth or dare - minus the dare. And she really didn't want to play any game with Hook. Ever.

„Sweetheart, if you want answers this is **the only way** how it's going to be. I have no problem going back to jail. Question is, do you, or your family, have a problem if you don't get the information I have?"

As much as she hated to admit it... he had the upper hand here. „Fine. I agree. With the following additions: You will cut out the sexism and the nicknames!"

„Uh... that hurts. But alright. Agreed. You may begin, Miss Swan. - I can still call you that, right?"

She ignored his mocking question and went straight to hers: „What are Regina and Cora up to?"

„Oh, you picked up on that already, have you? That's what I like about you, always on the ball. - And you're right: They're a happy happy family and intending of getting Henry back to Regina." Before Emma was able to process that he asked his question: „Who's that man from the fire escape?"

It took her longer to answer than it had taken Hook. For once, because she thought about lying... and for another thing because of all people she really didn't want to tell Hook. But since he would probably know when she lied there was no point of trying. And she couldn't risk him calling this game off, not with what she'd just heard. „Neal. He's Henrys father." She did leave out the part were Neal was also Golds son... but she didn't want Hook to expand is vendetta towards Neal. Henry would be devastated. „How are Regina and Cora planning to get Henry back? He loves Regina but wouldn't just go back to her like that."

„They know that. That's why - as we speak - they're looking for Rumpelstiltskins dagger. Once they have it they control the Dark One. They're planning on having him kill you and your parents. No one would blame them and Henry would have only Regina left to go to." Emma looked horrified. Maybe that was why he didn't ask his next question right away, but said instead: „I'm not to keen about that plan either. You may not believe me but I care about you."

„Is that what you meant this morning? If you kill Gold Henry won't lose me and my parents?"

„It's not exactly your turn, but... no. That wasn't what I was talking about – come to think of it, though, that's also a very good argument for killing him. Remind me to put it on my list."

Emma swallowed hard. This was so much to take in. She honestly had wanted to believe Regina was able to change and the fact that she hadn't killed Archie had encouraged her to do so. But this new plan was actually more evil than she could have ever imagined.

„Are you alright? And just to be clear that wasn't my next question." Hook said after a while.

As Emma looked at him again she saw that he seemed... worried. It wasn't just in his voice but also in his eyes. „Of course I'm not alright. How can you even ask that?"

„Hey." he leaned towards her as far as he could, given that he was chained to the door. „For what it's worth... if I don't succeed in killing Rumpelstiltskin... I won't let him hurt you. Or anyone who matters to you."

Uncertain if she could (or should) trust him Emma simply looked at him but didn't say anything. Suddenly the atmosphere in this was seemed very intense.

„Okay... Question:" Emma was almost releaved that Hook continued with the game. „Why can't you bring yourself to trust me? I mean I honestly care about you and I haven't ever betrayed you while we were working together. Not a lot of people can say any of that."

She knew the answer to that one. The thing was she had never even finished the answer inside her head, let alone spoken it out loud. It was just too hard for her. But she also felt that he was right about one thing, even though he didn't say it: He deserved an answer. „I can't, because... the last man I trusted... betrayed me. I ended up in jail. Pregnant. And alone. And all I kept thinking for 10 years was how stupid I was." Of course now she knew everything had been a little different than what she had thought all this time. But that didn't chance the fact that Neal had just left. „And I swore to myself that I was never going to be stupid ever again." _Especially not with handsome dark-haired 'Bad Boys'._ And Hook was even more _bad_ than Neal had ever been. Oh, and yes: Handsome. Of course he was, he even knew that himself.

If anything she excepted an jerkish comment from him... after all she imagined he was also the type of man who'd toy with women. (He didn't really expect her to believe he never had another girl after Milah, did he?) But he didn't say a single word. He just looked at her and as she dared to look at him again she saw sympathy in his eyes. For a while they just sat there and looked at each other before Emma couldn't take this very intense moment anymore and decided to kill it: „What?"

He shrug his shoulders. „You really should think about what you want. If I say something you get mad but when I don't say anything that's not okay either."

Emma twisted her eyes. „Have you ever been able to answer a question like a normal person?"

„Have you ever been able to admit you liked someone after that Neal-guy?"

She hesitated. This wasn't any of his business. Still she found herself saying: „Yes. Once..." Graham had been different. Okay, so he had been sleeping with Regina but now that she knew magic was real, she figured Regina had probably done something to him to get him into bed. But this was hardly the time to think about that.

Hook seemed surprised by her answer. Obviously he had been expecting a 'No' or maybe a 'Go to hell'. Apparently her honesty caused him to overshoot the topic just a little bit: „All problems aside... Do you like me?" He wasn't playing around. He really wanted to know, Emma could hear it in his voice and see it in his eyes. „Even just a little bit?"

Emma looked at him, suddenly realizing that they were very close. Of course she knew he couldn't get any closer, because of the handcuffs, which was kind of a relief. She thought about what to answer for a while, before she knew exactly what to say.

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I know that's kind of a mean cliffhanger - sorry. (I did it on purpose though xD)

Please pleas pleeeaaasee review! And again, forgive me for being a day late. Look at the bright side though: I will update next Thursday again, so you will have to wait a day less for Chapter 4 than usually ;)


	4. That move, you should have seen coming

As promised - it's Thursday, which means Update-Time :)

Thanks to those who reviewed, I appreciate that so much! I hope you will all enjoy Chapter 4!

(By the way, is anyone else having problems with the font-changes fanfiction . net has made? I think it all looks so weird now. When did "never change a running system" turn into "ALWAYS change a running system and make things look weird"? xD)

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**Chapter 4: That move, you should have seen coming**

„Do you like me? - Even just a little bit?"

Emma looked at him for a while, suddenly realizing that they were very close. Of course she knew he couldn't get any closer, because of the handcuffs, which was kind of a relief. She thought about what to answer for a while, before she knew exactly what to say: „I believe it's my turn to ask another question."

Hook looked down in disappointment but soon put on a grin again, as he let himself fall back into his seat again, staring out of the windshield. „Of course. Do go on, please." He made an inviting movement with his hook (since his hand was handcuffed) as he said that.

It took Emma a while (and a deep breath) before she was able to continue. „If Regina and Cora aren't the threat for Henry you were talking about... what is?"

„Rumpelstiltskin." he sounded almost bored. „Cora told me he wanted to kill Henry for some reason. And before you ask – no I do not know what that reason is."

Up until now Emma didn't think she was able to start a car this fast. But Hook hadn't even finished his sentence when she was already taking off and driving back to Neal's Apartment.

„You really think he's still going to be there, Love?" Hook asked. „Maybe he's already done it."

At first she didn't reply, she was too busy trying not to hit anything with the car. „If he has", she took a very sharp corner „you won't get a chance to kill him anymore." She was serious. If Gold had hurt Henry, hell, if he was even intending to do it, she was going to kill him. Of course it had accured to her that Cora may have lied to Hook but she couldn't take that risk. And right know all she knew for sure was that Hook hand't lied.

When she parked the car and was about to get out when Hook objected: „Wait, you can't just leave me down here!"

„Leave you?! You can count yourself lucky that I'm not stabbing you with your own hook for not telling me this sooner!" sie frowned angrily. "Instead you... **KISS** me and involve me into a **GAME** when this **whole time** my son was in danger! Seriously, what the **HELL** is wrong with you?!" Okay, so maybe angry was the wrong word; she was mad like hell. „You better pray Henry is fine. Because if he's not you will pay for this as well!"

She got out of the car, slammed the door and rang the doorbell. It didn't take Neal long to answer and open the door for her.

„Hey, what's going on? I thought you weren't coming back tonight." He said as she entered his apartment.

„Change of plans. Is Henry alright?"

„Yes. Yes of course... I would have called you if something was happening."

A part of Emma relaxed... at least Gold hadn't done anything yet. „Where is he? And your father?"

„Henry's in my bedroom. Sleeping. And my dad-"

„Is neither.", Gold finished Neals sentence and turned on the lights in the living room. It appeared he had slept on the couch. „May I ask what's going on, Miss Swan?"

„You don't get to ask anything, you get to **answer**. Like: Why does Cora seem to think that you want to **kill** Henry?!"

„What?!" Neal blend in and was just as shocked as Emma. „You want to kill our son?!" Emma looked at him. Him saying 'our son' sounded extremely weird... but one issue at a time.

„Calm yourselfes, please. If I intended to harm your son I would have already. But as you have pointed out: Henry is fine."

„Just because you haven't done anything yet does not mean you're not planning to. I know enough about you to know that!" Neal said and looked like he was about to beat his father.

Gold exhaled. „Alright. If you must know: Yes, at one point in my past I have said I would kill the boy who would help me find my son. Which would be Henry. But that was even long before your great-grandparents have been born, Miss Swan! And therefore even longer before I knew he was **your **son!" He now focused Neal. „I would never hurt anyone or anything you love. And quite frankly I can't imagine how Cora even knew about this."

Since he was talking to Neal Emma threw in: „But you wouldn't have had a problem to kill Henry when he was just **my** son."

He didn't reply.

„That's it." Neal said. „Get out." The door was still open so he just stepped out of the way. „Now. Before I call the cops."

„Neal, wait", Emma said and touches his Arm to calm him down. „You can't do this. As much as I don't want to see him right now... there's something else." As she turned to Gold she let go of Neal but that felt just as weird als touching him before. „It seems that Regina is now working with Cora to get Henry back. They're looking for the Dagger to control the Dark One. I assume that means something to you?"

Gold nodded. „What do they intend to do when they find it?"

Emma hesitated before she said: „I don't know. But I'm sure they will finde something useful to do with a magical doll." For some reason she didn't want to say what Hook had told her. She still hadn't processed it herself, how could she tell others? And Neal of all people...

„How have you found all of that out?" Gold asked.

„Hook. It's a long Story..."

Gold got mad as she mentioned the name of the man who hurt Belle. „Where is he now?"

„I left him in the car. And no you're not going down there! We don't have time for any of you to carry out your vendetta."

„Uh... when you say Hook...?" Neal said.

„Yes, Captain Hook. The one from Peter Pan."

„A tall guy, short dark hair and using to much eyeliner?" She was confused but nodded and Neal continued as he looked past her: „I think he may have brought the car up here."

Emma frowned, turned around and – there he was. Leaning against the doorframe (they should have closed the door) with the handcuffs still chained to the car door... which he had somehow managed to seperate from the rest of the car. She really should have taken away his hook. „Hello, Love."

He had GOT to be kidding her! „How..." she didn't even know what to ask first when she turned to Neal. „Make sure **he** behaves" She pointed towards Gold and then walked up to Hook. „I may sound like a broken record but what the hell is wrong with you?!"

„I got bored. And these things break very easily." he pointed his hand at the car door. „Although I would be pleased if you could free me from that thing. My wrist hurts."

„Good! Let's keep it that way!" She was still mad at him. For once thing because he hadn't told her about Gold and for another... that had been a rental car. She needed to pay to that!

Hook sighted. „Alright. I admit, I could have told you sooner but to be honest I just wanted to spend some time with you. And I was very confident that he wouldn't hurt the boy when it could be traced back to him. He's not that stupid." His eyes found Golds and as soon as they did he put on a grin and waved him hello with his hook.

„Stop that", Emma took down his hook. „How old are you, twelve?"

„I could kill that man right now if you let me." Gold offered.

Emma and Neal both replied at the same time with a firm: „No!"

„I guess it's a good think I'm not asking for permission, then." Hook said, pulled out his knife and threw it towards Gold. And Emma suddenly understood why he had brought a knife, when he always had his hook with him... it was so he could hurt Gold if he didn't get close enough to him. But it didn't hit his goal – Neal had jumped in front of his father and now the knife was stuck in his shoulder. He let out a painful scream but tried to be silent, probably because he remembered that Henry was asleep in the next room.

This had all happened so fast (she didn't even know how he managed to do this so fast and so accurate with a car door handcuffed to him) that Emma hadn't been able to do anyting except for yelling: „Neal!" She stared at him horrified and scared and ran to him. „Are you alright?" she asked and he nodded.

„Yeah... it's just a scratch." It was obviously more then that but Emma didn't respond since Gold looked like he was about to jump at Hooks throat.

„**Don't!** Make yourself usefull and find some alcohol, dressing material and pain medication. **Now!**" She ordered him and even though Gold was reluctant he did as he was told. He probably knew if he didn't, he'd lose every chance Neal may or may not give him in the future.

After she told Neal „I'll be right back." she stormed towards Hook (who looked like he was having the time of his life, even though he missed his enemy), pushed him out of the apartment, got out herself and closed the door behind her.

„Let me guess... What the hell is wrong with me?" Hook teased her but this time she didn't waste any time and hit him in the face. Since he still had a car door to carry he lost control over his balance and fell down on the floor.

„Ask me again if I **like** you!" she said madly.

As he got up he replied: „I don't have to. I know you do. You just won't admit it, even to yourself."

„I could **never** like someone like you!"

„No, you don't **want** to, there's a difference! But that doesn't change the fact that you're drawn to me, Swan. There's a connection between us!"

„There is nothing between us except loath and disgust! You said you wouldn't let anything happen to people who matter to me... but you just have caused one of them getting hurt."

Hook didn't say anything but didn't look away either.

„You don't care about **me**. You only care about your vengeance."

„That's not true."

„Then **proof** it! Let go of it and start behaving like you **actually** care about me!"

Again he didn't say anything but this time he also looked away and the silence was killing her. It was Emma who broke it: „But you can't do that."

He looked at her again but his eyes were dark and hurt, as was his voice as he said: „I **do** care about you. But I my love for Milah has survived for centuries now, along with the desire of vengeance for her death. So, yes... if you make me choose - you lose."

These words hurt Emma bad and she couldn't even tell why. Was he right? Did she like him? After a while she said: „Leave. Now."

„Oh is this all? You're going to let me go when you **know** that I will be back?"

Emma sadly smiled. „You'll be back. But you won't get your revenge. You have proven yourself to be incapable of killing him. Why else would Cora and Regina actually help you to get here, when they want Gold alive? Because they believe you can't kill him, no matter how often or how hard you try." The words just came out of her and she didn't know what she would say until they heard the words coming out of her. „You're not a **threat**. You're a **joke**." It was hard for her to say these words but she was driven by some sort of numbness inside of her. What she said hurt him bad, she could see it, and to be honest she thought that was the only reason she said it. She was sure though, that Cora and Regina **did** think of him as a joke. And Emma? She didn't think about anything right know.

Without saying another word he turned around and walked away. Before he was gone Emma added: „Oh and one more thing: You just hurt **Milah's son**." He stopped but didn't turn around. „Just something to think about."

It took him a while before he did anything and when he did he just continued to walk away. It wasn't until she heard the door of the building getting opened and closed before Emma leaned at the wall and let a couple of tears running over her cheek, who've been wanted to come out for a while now.

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I have to say it broke my heart a little to write this. A lot has happened in this chapter, I know. Please R&R I really really want to know what you think about this!

Also I'd like to remind everyone that what happened in the show after 2x14 (especially the hints of Neal being Peter Pan) does not apply to this fanfic. In here he doesn't know Hook. (And there is some other mystical explanation why Neal is still "young" compared to how old he technically should be - but I won't adress this, since for the plot of this fic, it's simply not important. Maybe he's timetravelled while being sucked into the portal, I don't know. Oh wait, that sounds good actually. Let's say he did lol)

Anyway: See you next week, dearies!


	5. That feeling, you thought was long gone

You guys? Are you still there? I'm a little worried you didn't like the last Chapter. Which made me sad, because (in a way) that was my favourite Chapter so far.  
Thanks to the brave Black Heart, who read & reviewed!  
But I do hope I will get at least a Feedback from others this time again. Because if I hear nothing I assume you don't like the Story anymore and then I'll stop uploading (and will be very sad) :(

Anyway, this is where the Swan Thief starts. Hook will be MIA for a while now. Sorry guys ;) But he will SO be back, I promise!

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**Chapter 5: That feeling, you thought was long gone**

Emma didn't let herself really cry about this. About him. He wasn't worth this. It was bad enough that she lowered to his level and told him he was a joke and that Neal was Milah's son – just to hurt him. She regretted it already... Neal being Bae was the **one thing** she didn't want him to know and she lost control over her speech center and told him! How could she be so stupid?

As soon as she calmed herself she went back into Neal's apartment. He was on his couch, with his shirt taken off, and Gold sat next to him, but didn't seem to know the first thing about what do to in a situation like this. „You didn't do anything?" she asked and took off her scarf and coat.

„Oh, no, he did plenty. He kept on rambling about how easily he could help me if he had magic right now." Neal replied and Gold seemed hurt.

„I didn't know how to remove this without hurting him." he said towards Emma.

She went to them as she said: „Because you don't remove it without hurting him. It will hurt like hell."

„Where is Hook?" Gold asked as he got up, so Emma could sit down next to Neal.

„Gone. Not for long I expect that's why we are heading back to Storybrooke first thing in the morning."

„I'm not going back to Storybrooke this soon!"

„Yes, you are!" Emma insisted. „As long as you're here your son is danger. Do you want that? I'm guessing: **No**. I'm going to remove the knife now. If you don't want to see that I suggest you go into the kitchen." She really just didn't want to be around Gold more then she had to, after she found out what he was going to do to Henry. He probably knew that so he agreed, but Emma wasn't done bossing him around: „While you are there you can call Mary-Margaret and tell her where the Dagger is so that she and David can go get it."

This time he protested. „I'm not giving them the Dagger."

„You don't have a choice here! It's either them or Regina and Cora." She said as she gave him her phone. He hesitated but then took it and went to the kitchen.

When he closed the door behind him Emma relaxed a bit but then turned to Neal, who, to her surprise, was smiling. „What are you so happy about?"

„Nothing. It's just, you have a certain way to handle him. You're not scared of him."

„Well", she said as she took the bottle of Scotch and opened it. „He can't hurt me here. Not as long as you're around. And I'm kind of hoping you being Henrys dad will keep him from hurting me when we're back in Storybrooke. - This is going to burn." She said and issued the Scotch over is shoulder.

Neal tried really hard not to but his face clearly showed how much that hurt. „Yeah... about that. I was thinking of going back with you."

Emma looked at him in surprise. „What? Why?" She didn't know if she wanted him to come or not.

„Because I'd like to get to know my son."

Couldn't he just friend him on facebook? „Uhm... yeah, I get that. Except that it's really dangerous in Storybrooke. Especially with Regina working with Cora... it's a long Story. Just know that they're not very nice people and they don't hesitate to use dark magic. Plus you're Rumpelstiltskins son, a man, who is not exactly popular." While that was all very true – it didn't change the fact that she was just saying all of this because she didn't think she could deal with him being in Storybrooke. In her life!

„Why would you want to go back there again? Sounds like Hook in Manhattan is easier to handle than every danger in Storybrooke."

„Maybe. But my parents are there. And I just met them - I'm not ready to leave them again. And it's Henry's home... in fact I'd very much like it if he would stay here for a while. Just until it's not that dangerous anymore. But he'd just follow us back anyway. So, we need to go back and help to somehow defeat the Evil Queen and her Mother from Hell."

Neal smiled. „There's a sentence I thought you'd never say."

Emma returned his smile and grabbed the knife and gave him a towel. „Bite on that. Ready?" he noddded and bit on the towel. „On the count of three... One" She abruptly pulled out the kife and he let out a terrifiying scream which was luckly repressed by the towel.

As Emma started to treat the wound he said: „Maybe you should practise how to count." She was glad he kept talking to her because it was very weird just to touch him again, even if it was just to help him. Seeing him half naked was one thing but actually touching him another.

She smiled and shook her head. „Sorry. It's just better when you don't know when it's happening."

„Yeah. You have a way of doing things when I don't suspect them... stealing a car I'm in... pulling out knifes... showing up with my son I didn't know I had."

Emma exhaled. „I guess I had that one coming." He had to mention it sooner or later, this was just too much to ignore. „Look... I'm sorry I never told you. But I was heartbroken when you left me."

„That's not an execuse for not telling me."

„I know. I did a lot of things I'm not proud of at that time. Giving Henry up for adoption is one of them."

Neal nodded. „Yeah, he told me."

She almost didn't dare to ask but also couldn't not do it: „What else has he told you?"

„He loves you, if that's what you're worried about. He's just hurt you didn't tell him the truth." Emma lowered her head. „But there are some things he said that don't quite make sense to me just yet."

„Like what?"

„This Regina-Person everyone is referring to seems to have adopted him... but is also the Evil Queen?"

Emma smiled sadly. „Yes... that's actually all a very long Story."

„We have time." Neal said and looked her deep in the eye. He was going to find out eventually anyway, so there was no point of not telling him. Therefore Emma ended up telling him everything that's happened in Storybrooke so far. Maybe that would even keep him from going there. After all it did sound like the most insane and dangerous place in the whole world... but it felt like home to her as well.

„Wow." he said after she had endet. „That's... a lot to process."

„Yeah. Try living it." she replied and he took a short, sad laughter.

„And what about you and that Hook guy?"

„What about him?"

„Well... you should maybe know that the walls are pretty thin here."

„Oh..." Again she lowered her head. „You heard?"

He nodded. „Pretty much everything."

Emma sighted. This was getting worse by the second.

„So... **do** you like him?"

„Why do people keep asking that..."

„Look. I know I'm not in the position to tell you who you should or should not date... but, even aside from the fact that that man has been dating my mother, which makes it a lot weirder for me that now he seems to fancy you... he's not exactly step-dad-material for Henry."

„I know that. And believe me he's not going to be anything to Henry. Except of course that crazy guy with a hook instead of a hand. - But of course someone like that would fancy me, I seem to attract guys like that."

„Hey, I am not crazy and still have both hands, thank you very much." Neal said but Emma shook her head.

„No, not that, just... guys who are not good for me and... hurt me." She avoided to look him in the eye as she said: „There. All done." She looked pleased with her work as a nurse and started to pack up the bandages.

„Thanks." He seemed relieved that he could ignore what she had said before, because she was already doing the same. They had already covered this, there was nothing more to say. He had left because Pinocchio had told him to. That must have been the lamest execuse to leave someone in the history of humans.

„I'm still going to Storybrooke, you know." He said after a while.

Oh no. That town was getting more and more crowded. „Are you sure?"

„Yes. I'm sorry, Emma, I know you don't want me in your life. But I can't just let Henry go. And it's very dangerous in there... he needs everyone he can get to protect him. I will not let Regina take him back. He's not her son."

„No, but she raised him. And he loves her. It will be very hard for him to hear that she's working with her mother against us."

„He'll be okay... he has us. I may not know the first thing about being a dad and we have no idea who do be parents, you know, together... but we'll figure it out." He grabbed her hand. „We used to be a good team. I'm sure we can be again."

Emma looked at him and smiled a bit, but didn't reply. She simply didn't know what she should say. 'Maybe'? 'No, thank you'? Sitting here with him and being so honest brought up old feelings. Feelings, Emma had thought were gone. She felt comfortable with him next to her... it felt just natural to be here. And maybe Neal was even right: Maybe they were able to be a good team again.

**: : : : : :**

They had spend the rest of the night talking about going back to Storybrooke and especially how to operate against Regina and Cora. Gold had kept his word and called Mary-Margaret and she was about to go take off to get the Dagger, together with David. And Emma? She had kept her mouth shut about how Regina and Cora were going to use Gold against them. Neal was already worried enough about going there as it was. When he found out that his dad should kill Emma and her parents he wouldn't let any of them set a foot back in that town.

After Henry woke up they told him that Hook had been here and hurt Neal. There had been some discussion wether to tell him the truth or not, but Emma was done lying to Henry. He needed to learn to trust her again and keep lying to him wasn't the way to do that. Unfortunately that included telling him about Regina...

„I don't believe this." said Henry.

„I know. It's horrible." Emma replied but Henry shook his head.

„No, I mean I really don't believe this! Think about were your information is coming from... Hook has probably lied to get you confused! All of us! I mean if we focus on Regina as the enemy we don't have time to focus on him!"

Neal looked at Emma. „It could be true."

But she shook his head. „I don't think so. I have never been wrong about when he lied or was telling the truth. And he wasn't lying."

„Well, my mom is not working against us!" Henry had the habit of believing in what he wanted to believe in but sometimes what was just dangerous. „The last time we thought she was she got framed by her own mother! There's no way she would work with her!"

„Henry..." Emma got on her knees and took his hands. „Believe me I wish you were right. But all Regina can think about is getting you back. And if she has to work with Cora to do so... I think she would." Henry lowered his head with a very sad face, which broke her heart. „I'm so sorry." She took him in her arms.

It took Henry a while to get used to that thought but after a while he was ready to go back to Storybrooke. When he was in the Bathroom Neal asked: „I don't mean to annoy you, but are you really sure Hook didn't lie? He may not have lied to get you off his back but maybe he did so you would start to trust him."

Well, he had offered to help her with the problem, that much she knew. But still, se shook her head. „Believe me, he didn't lie. He's not smart or patient enough to think a plan through that far. He doesn't make great plans, he just acts on instinct. Like an animal."

„Which makes him unpredictable. And combined with the fact that you keep blowing him off... that makes him a dangerous enemy. Men like that don't take rejection very well."

Emma didn't admit it but Neals words did worry her. Could it be possible that her actions may lead to Hook targetting her as well?


	6. That dagger, everyone wants so bad

Hey guys :)  
I'm back with the next chapter but I'm kind of (really) tired - it's been a long day - which is why I hope there aren't to many mistakes in it. If there are I apologize.  
But I'm not too tired not to appreciate everyone who reviewed:

_to Lisa1972:_ It doesn't have to be nice, hearing an oppinion is always great. Besides, if you hate him in the series and hate him here, I must have done at least something right lol

_to RachelWannabe:_ Aww you are so great. It was awesome reading your reaction after every chapter :)

_to AverytheOncer:_ He might come back soon ;)

_to ChamberlinofMusic:_ Thanks :)

_to saku-lee:_ lol Well, cut him some slack, after all he did have a knife stuck in his shoulder xD

And now back to the story^^

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**Chapter 6: That dagger, everyone wants so bad  
**

"Emma! Oh thank god you're back." Mary-Margaret took her daughter into her arms and Emma hugged her back. "We were so worried when we got your message about what Hook did!"

"Yeah... well. Turns out you were right in the first place. I should have never helped him getting out of prison. That was just the worst idea ever."

"But you said you got the information you needed?" David asked.

"Yes. - Yes, I did." She needed to tell them. But not with Neal here - or Gold, for that matter. All of them were standing in Mary-Margarets Apartment. They'd taken the next plane back home and dropped Henry off at Grannys Diner so Ruby could take care of him.

"And you are Baelfire?" David said and gave him a rather awkward handshake. Of course this was a weird situation, how did you greet the man who got your daughter pregnant, had left her but also knowing that he had had everyones best interest in heart when he did so?

"I prefer Neal. But yeah. That's me."

Mary-Margaret smiled at him. "It's nice to meet you Neal." She was always so welcoming and never fake, that was what Emma admired about her.

"As heartwarming as this is can we cut this short and get to the point?" Gold demanted. "Do you have the dagger?"

David and Mary-Margaret took a short but worried look at each other, before she said: "No."

It was Neal who spoke first after that, as he asked Emma: "Please tell me your parents just have a very weird kind of humor."

Emma ignored him. "What? Why not?"

"It wasn't were he said it would be." said David.

That was bad. That could only mean that someone must have already found it... three guesses who that someone was.

"Is there any chance you overlooked it?" Neal asked in desperation but Mary-Margaret shook her head.

"Yes, Neal, we overlooked the single most important thing that could have stopped Cora and Regina from controlling the Dark One. - We looked **everywhere **in that clocktower. So, unless it's invisible..."

Gold sat down on one of the chairs in the kitchen but it was Emma who spoke out what everyone else was thinking: "We're screwed."

Silence fell over them.

After a while Neal broke it: "Not necessarily."

Everyone looked at him and Emma asked: "Did you not pay attention? Cora and Regina have the dagger. They can make your father do anything they'd like."

"Then why haven't they done anything yet? Look, I know it's a long shot... but if I were an Evil Queen or her mother" Emma tried hard to ignore how weird that sentence sounded. "and after centuries of defeats finally had my chance to get my revenge – I'd do it as soon as I could."

"Maybe they're just trying to make us think we're save." David said. "We don't even know what they're planning to do. They may have already started and we didn't notice."

Emma bit her lip. There was no way around it anymore. "Oh you'd know... you of all people." Now everyone looked at her in confusement. "You... Mary-Margaret... and me. They want to kill us so Henry would have no one left to go to and of course no one else to blame but, well, you." she looked at Gold, who didn't seem to take bad news very well. "At least that's what Hook said." Emma added, as if that was a valuable information but she was pretty sure no one cared how she knew all of that.

Finally Gold got up and walked toward the door.

"Were are you going?" Neal asked and Gold stopped as he looked at him.

"Leaving. I assume you all just heard what I heard which means me being near to any of you is very dangerous."

"But it doesn't matter where you go. They'll always be able to control you."

"Not if I'm somewhere where there is no magic."

Mary-Margaret frowned. "You are going to leave town."

Gold nodded. "Just as long as it takes for you to get the dagger from them."

"But", Emma blend in. "if you leave there's a very real chance Hook is going to find and kill you. He may not be very smart but coincidence seems to side with him an awful lot of times."

"As much as I appreciate you looking out for me", Gold said in sarcasm. "I'm sure you're priorities lie elsewhere. Which is completely normal. Everyone wants their family to be safe." He took a quick look at Neal.

That's when Emma realized: He didn't want to leave because he may kill her or her parents. But as soon as Cora and Regina would realize there was one more family member for Henry to hold on to, they would make him kill Neal as well.

"I think you should stay." Emma suddenly said. She never thought she'd be the person who'd stop Gold from leaving any place she was in and the others seemed to be confused, too. "Not because you may get killed out there, but because it's better for us if we know where you are. At least that way you can't surprise us." It was like when you saw a spider. As long as you knew where they were you're afraid but the moment they disappeared you PANICKED.

Gold looked at her for a moment before he sat back on his chair, apparently agreeing with her. Since no one else said anything Emma assumed everone else did, as well, or they simply just didn't know what to say in order to disagree with her.

Emma swallowed before she spoke her next thought out loud: "I think we should go to Regina. Try to get the dagger."

Everyone stared at her as if she'd lost her mind.

"Because she's always so reasonable and will just give it to us?" Mary-Margaret asked.

"What else are we supposed to do? We can't just sit here and do nothing."

"We're not doing nothing. We're feeling sorry for ourselfes." Neal pointed out and Emma nodded.

"My point exactly. - You guys can stay here if you want but I'm going."

David stepped forward. "If you're going... we're going."

This time Gold disagreed. "That rule doesn't apply to me. I'm not saying going to Regina isn't the right thing to do but I think I should stay here. They have the dagger – I shouldn't be visiting them."

Emma looked at Neal. "What about you?"

He seemed troubled and thought for a while before he said: "I think someone should stay here with him. Like you said... we need to know where he is, which is why we can't let him out of our sight."

Reluctantly Emma nodded. "Okay." She didn't like leaving him alone with his potential murderer, and he was still hurt, she was worried enough about him as it was. But for now no one besides them knew about Neal, therefore she figured he would be save. At least for a while.

A few moments _the Charmings_ were on their way to Reginas House. David was armed with his Sword.

"I'm not sure if we should hope for her to be home or not." Mary-Margaret said honestly.

"Me neither." Emma admitted. It had been her idea to go but talking to Regina was usually not a very good idea. As in ever. Especially with the knownledge, that she wanted to kill her and her parents. And all of them were walking straight up to her... _Good plan, Emma, very good plan_, she thought to herself.

Before they reached Reginas house Emma thought she saw something out of the corner of her eye and suddenly stood still. She looked at the corner where she thought she'd seen something move. When David asked her what was wrong she hesitated, but shook her head in the end and said: "Nothing." She continued her way but couldn't stop thinking if what she had seen may have been... no. There was no way.

When they reached the house it was already dark outside and as they were about to use the doorbell they heard arguing inside the house. Therefore they stayed put and tried to listen.

"What do you suppose we do now?" It was Cora and she sounded mad.

"I don't know, mother." Regina seemed to me also mad but also desperate and annoyed. "If I did I wouldn't still be here talking to you I would be out there doing it."

"Don't take that tone with me. This is **your** town so I need you to **think**... who could have taken it?"

Emmas heart skipped a beat. Was it possible that they were talking about the dagger?

"I don't know. No one even knew about this... that is. No one except-"

"Hook. And we told him how to sail his ship to that town. Where there is not only Rumplestiltskin but also Emma Swan."

"Do you think he may have told her?"

"With that ridiculous crush he has on her? He must have. We should have known better."

Emma jerked and Mary-Margaret whispered: "Is there something you want to tell us?"

She wasn't sure if Mary-Margaret was serious but looked at her in surprise. "No, of course not! And now would hardly be the time..."

"So there's nothing to tell us?" David demanted but this time Emma didn't say anything and just kept listening.

"May I point out, mother, that **I** thought it was a bad idea telling him where Gold was from the start? You were the one who insisted on sending him away."

"If he'd stayed here he would have just kept crawling in our way - it was annoying. I do admit though that killing him would have been the better thing to do. - Now, let's think. He told Emma. She would have told her parents..."

"Which means she and her husband took it."

Okay, this was getting confusing. Emma nodded toward the streets, signaling her parents they should go but somehow David managed to stumble and knock over a plant as he turned around. Not very elegant for a fighter.

Before they were able to get away Regina opened the door and stared at them in surprise but seemed also kind of pleased to see them. Probably because she thought they had the dagger. "Oh well. Look who's back from her little trip." she looked at Emma. "And **spying** on me."

Emma didn't say anything, just watched Reginas every move. Of course that wouldn't help her if she were to use magic – she knew that, but that didn't mean she wasn't going to look out for an attack.

"We were just talking about you. All of you... but then again you already knew that, didn't you?" Regina fixated Mary-Margaret with her eyes, held out her hand and said: "The dagger. Now."

"We thought you had it." David said and stepped in front of his wife, pulling out his sword.

Cora stepped forward. "Don't play dumb. You know exactly we don't have it."

Mary-Margaret asked in disbelief: "Why on earth would we come here if we'd known you didn't have it?!"

Regina and Cora shared a worried look, before Regina said: "Why **are** you here then?"

There was an awkward silence before Mary-Margaret answered: "To... get the dagger from you." It was easy to tell that she felt ridiculous saying that. Not that Emma could blame her, she didn't feel too good about herself right now either.

And more awkward silence followed.

Emma was the one who broke it. "So... if you don't have it." she pointed at Regina and her mother. "And you don't have it..." her eyes wandered to her parents. "And it's not were Gold left it... who has it?"

"Now that", said a well-known voice from behind her. "would be me."

She turned around and there he was: Hook stood there like he was the king of the world – with the dagger in his hand.

* * *

Told you he might get back soon ;)  
I hope you liked the chapter :) See you next week!


	7. That confusion, which grows bigger

I am sorry I didn't get to update yesterday.  
Work has been going crazy on me lately and I don't think I'll be able to keep update-Thursday up. I'll try my best to keep updating once a week though! But I can't promise anything, especially since I have another fanfic planned which I just HAVE to write (it's not about Once Upon A Time though, but The Mortal Instruments). I won't disregard this fic though, don't worry! I love it waaaaay too much to do that :)

To my lovely reviewers:  
_Lisa1972 -_ Smart or not smart, that is the question... ;)  
_RachelWannabe -_ I admit, I took the spider analogy from my own life and put it in there. I'm glad you agree with me, though :D  
_5289belle -_ Awwwwww thank you sooo much! When I read your review my mood went from grumpy to happy in under 1 second!  
_CSI Encyclopedia - _Yes, apparently it had been less of a surprise I had been hoping it would be xD  
_saku-lee -_ You're so sweet :) But you don't have to like Neal at all, if you just really don't xD Well, this has always been a Captain Swan fic, with some Swan Thief every once and while, I'm going to say that much... but I won't give the ending away. I couldn't, if I wanted too, because I have two versions in mind and so far can not decide which one to pick...

And now for the 7th Chapter:

* * *

**Chapter 7: That confusion, which grows bigger and bigger**

The moment Emma saw Hook she was suddenly very aware of what had been said between and over them.

_"I care about you." – "That ridiculous crush he has on her" – "So, yes... if you make me choose - you lose." – "Is there something you want to tell us?"_

This was all very confusing and Emma had absolutely **no time** to think about any of this. Hook had the dagger which meant Gold was screwed. And, despite the fact that Hook had said he wouldn't let anything happen to Emma or her family, it wasn't exactly good for him to have the upper hand. For one thing because she couldn't trust in what he'd said but also because Gold was now sort of her family as well, so she had to protect him.

Cora layed her eyes on Hook, but Emma wasn't sure if she wanted to kill him or congratulate him. Probably the killing-thing. "I have to say I am most surprised to see you. With the dagger."

"Don't you mean at all?" Emma chipped in. After what she'd heard before she was pretty sure that Cora had send him to Manhattan so he would never return to Storybrooke, because he was apparently getting on her nerves. "Sending someone, who doesn't know anything about this world and has **his** personality, to New York is basically attempted murder." He didn't exactly make a lot of friends whereever he went.

Everyone – including Hook – stared at Emma in astonishment as she said that. It wasn't until then when she realized that she had said these words with anger in her voice. Though she didn't know why she would be angry. Apparently Hook had an answer for that...

"Well well." he said. "Look who started caring."

"Don't get me wrong" Emma replied quickly. "I didn't say that I couldn't **see** the point in wanting to get you killed." She didn't of course. Because unlike Regina and Cora she was a good person – which was the only reason. It had nothing to do with Hook personally. Or at least she hoped so.

"If you don't mind I'd like you to stop flirting for just a for moment" Regina blend in and turned toward Hook, while Emma blushed just a little bit. "The dagger. Hand it over."

Hook, who seemed very unpleased with Regina changing the topic, looked at her and acted like he was thinking hard about it. "Let's see... I had an answer to that one. I know I had, it just slipped my- oh. There it is again: No." Now it was on Regina and Cora to be unpleased with the turn of events. "See, you and Mommy haven't exactly been very nice to me, so I don't see any reason why I should help you now. Especially when this..." He tapped against the dagger with his hook. "is going to get me what I want."

_Of course_, Emma thought. _He can finally get back on Gold._

"Need I remind you that you stole it from us?"

Huh. So they actually **had** found it before... and Hook stole it from them? How did he manage to do that and more importantly get away with it? Somehow that impressed Emma. Not that lying and stealing impressed her in general, it was just that she hadn't really thought he was able to do such a thing. Sure, he was a pirate, but going up against two Witches? Also, if it weren't for Hook they'd be as good as dead right now, which made her wonder if maybe he truly **had** meant what he had said in New York. Maybe he really wasn't going to let anything happen to her. Somehow the thought of this being true, made her feel better about... everything.

"See, now **technically**" Hook replied. "you stole it first. It doesn't belong to you and you took it anyway. So if you think about it I'm like Robin Hood."

Emma frowned - that was hardly true. But then again, maybe he'd heard a different version of Robin Hood or even met him. Perhaps they were all buddie-buddie. As it had turned out everything she used to know about fairy tales and children stories hadn't been true either. Still she said: "Robin Hood stole from the rich and gave it to the pour."

"And who said I wasn't going to do that?" He started walking toward her.

Emma didn't back away. She wanted to say that she thought the poor would be more interested in food than a dagger, she really planned to say it, but heard herself saying instead: "Because all you can think about is your vengeance. You said so yourself."

"Again… **technically**" he stopped right in front of her. "I never said it like **that**." She could almost feel his breath on her skin and was very aware of her own heart beating in her chest. "And to whom it may concern... it's not true."

Emma took a deep breath and heard herself asking: "Then what is?"

He looked deep into her eyes, leaned down to her and before she could even think about maybe stopping him he was kissing her. Almost immediately his hand went beneath her jacket and when Emma felt something cold and sharp touching her back she drew away from him and looked at him in surprise. He wasn't going to hurt her, she knew what he'd done but couldn't quite believe it. He leaned down again, this time placing a kiss on her neck and quietly whispering in her ear: "This one time... Trust me. Leave."

His breath on her skin, his lips on her neck and his body so close to hers gave Emma a shiver and she fought very hard to not close her eyes. Hook grinned and winked as he let go of her and pulled out… something from behind his back, which probably would look like the dagger from a distance – but Emma saw it was just a misshaped knife. _"Trust me"_, he had said. _But he hurt Neal_, her mind kept saying. _And me._

"Now…" He said looking at Regina and Cora, while gently pushing Emma aside. "Where were we?"

"You were about to have sex with Miss Swan right here in my yard." Regina looked and sounded as disgusted as she probably was.

Hook put on a his dirty grin again. "Well I thought maybe you'd want to learn something. But don't be jealous, there's enough of me for everyone. Except... you of course." he pointed at the two witches. "You're not my type."

While Regina looked as if she might throw up Cora held up her hand and Hook started to levitate above the ground, but held on to the knife. "The dagger, Hook. Don't make me ask for it again."

Neither Cora nor Regina seemed to still notice Emma and her parents._ "Trust me."_ Hooks words echoed inside her head as she signaled Mary-Margaret and David to leave. After a short hesitation they followed her. As soon as they were around the next corner Emma stopped and pulled out the real dagger from beneath her jacket, which Hook had placed with her during the kiss.

"How did you-" David started asking but Emma cut him short.

"Hook gave it to me. Here" she gave him the dagger. "Bring it to Gold. He needs to hide it again, before they figure out what happened. And tell him to hide it better this time."

"You're not coming with us?" Mary-Margaret asked.

"No. I'm going back."

"But-"

"Look, I don't have time to argue about this. Right now Cora and Regina are discovering that Hook apparently lied to them about having the dagger. Plus he stole the real one from them in the first place! My guess is they won't be too happy with him. – I don't know why or how he did it… but I do know that he saved our lifes. I can't just leave him behind." _Not without getting any answers_, she added in her mind.

"Then I'm going with you." David insisted and they split up. Mary-Margaret took the dagger back home, while David and Emma went back to Reginas house.

When they arrived they heard Cora saying: "... how else did you think this would end? I always get what I want." Emma felt like they missed a very important part of the conversation.

They found Hook pressed against the house with Cora right in front of him. When they noticed Emma and David Regina said "Oh, not you again" and shot something which looked like a huge dark purple cloud against them and both were pushed behind, falling on the ground.

When Emma got up again they were gone. Regina and Cora hat disappeared and all that was left was Hook, now lying on the ground and didn't seem to move at all. "Hook?" Emma asked but there was no reaction. She got up and ran toward him, got on her knees and turned him around. "He's breathing." she said to David. "But unconscious. Help me get him up."

"To do what exactly?"

"To bring him to our apartment." She sounded as if he'd just asked her for the result of 1 + 1.

"Why? He's hardly even hurt. There's no need to bring him into our home."

"Okay, next time you lie unconscious on the floor I'll just leave you there, because you're _hardly hurt_..." Seriously, which one of them was the parent and which the child? "David, he's saved our lifes! We are taking him with us, that's out of question!"

"Actually it's not! We don't owe him anything. He's a pirate and may I add not exactly everbody's favorite son-in-law-type."

Emma might have blushed a bit, but she didn't care. "Jeez, I'm not going to **marry** the guy! I am **helping** him, because he helped us!" At least that was the main reason. She didn't forget their last encounter in New York and there were so many questions inside her head that she needed to be answered. The fact that Hook had really helped them was really just a good pretense to keep him around. "Now: Do you mind **growing up** and giving me a hand?"

David sighted and muttered: "The others are not going to like this."

* * *

David may be right about the others, but I hope YOU liked this chapter ;) Please let me know!


	8. That - what ? !

So, I was driving to work this morning... and in front of me was a van with the letterin "Kilian" on it. I figured this was a sign for me to continue this fanfic so here I am :)

As for the reviews:  
**Lisa1972** - Hmmmm maybe. Maybe not. Read and find out!  
**CSI Encyclopedia** - Thank you :)  
**saku-lee** - I hope you're ready by now?^^  
**ChamberlinofMusic** - Thank YOU for reviewing and liking it! It means a lot to me.  
**5289belle** - Aww someone loves David. I'm glad he's appreciated:)  
**SibOlga** - Wow, okay, lets see... first of all I'd like to thank you for putting so much thought into it. As for the gorgeous thing: I DID mention that she things he's handsome. Same deal ;) And maybe Emma (used to) think a bit differently about Hook in here than she does in other Fanfics, but it would be kind of boring if everything was one and the same, wouldn't it? ;) But when did Emma like Neal more than she liked Hook? She has history with Neal. As for Hook, all Emma did in this FF so far was denying the possibily that she might like him, although I thought I was making it pretty clear that she does. It's like Hook said: _"No, you don't __**want**__ to _(like me)_, there's a difference!" _And last but not least to the car door incident lol I am not going to mention how he got rid of it because there are more important things to worry about ;) By the way: I'm totally with you on the Neal-Thing. I didn't think I was going to like him but the actor is just so handsome that I couldn't help it!

And now for the next Chapter! (FYI, I'm pretty sure you will agree with the name of the chapter, once you've finished it... xD)

* * *

**Chapter 8: That... what?!  
**

Of course David had been right: The others didn't like it. As in **at all**. Gold wasn't at the apartment anymore when they arrived (which was probably a good thing), as soon as Mary-Margaret had brought him the dagger he left to find a new place for it. Mary-Margaret looked like she was about to lecture Emma about bringing a criminal to her home, not to mention an old ally of Cora. But she needed to learn to be quicker, with Neal around. He took Emma aside as soon as she and David put Hook – still unconscious – on Mary-Margarets bed.

"Are you out of your mind?!"

"I wanna say no... but you don't look like you'd believe me if I did."

"Would you mind explaining to me how you got from punshing him to bringing him to your home in less than 24 hours?"

"He saved our lives. He's the one who found your fathers dagger and he could have used it to kill him, controll him or even give it to Cora and Regina but he **didn't**! He gave it to **me**!" Which still confused her.

"And you don't see why he did that?"

"What, you've got a Bachelor in _Hook_ now?" She didn't think even a professional psychologist stood a chance when it came to Hooks personality, let alone Neal.

"No, but I know guys like that. And he's clearly just trying to get into your pants."

"Oh, that's ridiculous."

"Is it? Because Mary-Margaret said he kissed you in order to give you the dagger."

"It was the only way he could give it to me without anyone noticing! Besides, **think** about what you're saying! He took a huge risk doing what he did. He wouldn't have risk his life for something he already-" Emma suddenly stopped. She just realized something: She'd always thought she was the one pushing him away and turning him down... but in New York **he** had actually turned **her** down. And she hadn't even notice. That wasn't true of course. She hadn't **wanted** to notice. And even now she didn't like to put it that way, especially out loud and with people around.

Obviously Neal had an idea of what she was thinking about though. "Emma. Just because he still loves my mother more than he loves you", at least two things in this sentence were very much disturbing, it almost made her joggle. One: Neal actually saying that Hook loved his mother and two: That Hook even loved Emma just a little bit. He hadn't ever put it like that, just that he _cared_ about her... but of course _caring_ and _loving_ sometimes meant the same. "That doesn't mean he doesn't want you. In any dirty way he can get you."

Emma looked at him and basically avoiding the topic of Hooks intentions completely as she answered: "Look, just because you're jealous that doesn't mean you-"

She was interrupted by Hook, who woke up in this very moment and groaned in pain. Emma turned around immediately and went to the bed, leaving Neal behind, who bit his lip and shook his head just a little bit.

When Hook saw Emma he put on his usual jackass-grin. "I appear to be having a déjà-vu." He was right. The last time he'd woken up in a bed being hurt, Emma had been there, too. "Hello, Love."

At first Emma didn't say anything. When she finally did she turned to her parents and Neal: "Do you mind leaving us alone for a minute? I'd like to talk to him." What she wanted to talk to him about wasn't anything she wanted them to hear. Not just yet but ever. It felt extraordinary weird having especially Neal around.

Neal crossed his arms and said "Fine. Talk." but didn't look like he was going anywhere.

It was Mary-Margaret who took him by his shoulders and said: "Come on, we'll show you the rest of the apartment." Not only did she have to push Neal up the stairs, she also had to come back and drag David after her. "And by **we** I meant the both of us." she added in that tone that said _I can't believe you're still staring at them_.

However, she managed to give Emma one last look. Maybe it was because she was her mother, or it was a Snow-White-thing... but she was very good in making her eyes talk for her. This time they seemed to say: _I hope you know what you're doing_. Emma slighly smiled, as a thank you, and nodded.

When they were gone Hook sat up in the bed and looked at her curiously. "You keep surprising me, Swan. What could you have possible want them gone for?" He had his usual dirty tone in his voice but Emma also noticed something else – exitement? Confusion? Fear? She couldn't quite put her finger on it but there was definitively something.

Ignoring his question she replied: "Actually it's you who's surprising me." She sat down at the foot of the bed, which was the farest on the bed she could sit from him but also the closest in this room. "After what happened in Manhattan I figured the next time I saw you you'd gladly help Regina kill me. Instead you" again, she frowned, because she still couldn't believe it. "save us."

"Let me guess: That wasn't okay, either? I really can't do anything right with you, can I?" She couldn't tell if he was serious but she knew that he was refering to something he had also mentioned in New York, when they were in the car. Somehow he didn't seem to get over the fact that no matter what he did – Emma bitched about it. But that wasn't what she was doing now.

"No. It was... very right. I'm just not that good at thanking people for saving my life." That wasn't exactly true. Usually she was able to, if required, but with him it was just... weird.

He was right about one thing though: No matter what he did she never saw it for what it was. Except that she wasn't unpleased (at least not all the time) she simply didn't know what to think or do about it. And since that was a feeling she wasn't used to... it scared her. Being around Hook scared her in any possible way and still, for some reason, she kept reaching out for him. She hadn't really needed to get him out of the prision for example, that was just what she was telling herself... she could have made him tell her everything while visiting him and let him rot there. But she got him out. When he hurt Neal she just let him go and now she had taken him to her home, when really she didn't need to care why he saved her. She could have just done what he'd told her and left, but didn't.

This behavior actually went further in the past... she had agreed to climb the beanstalk with him. She had made the giant to let him go, while he would have much rather killed him. And she had gone to him in the hospital when he had gotten hit by the car. She hadn't needed to do any of those things, but she had. Probably, she used to think, it was because she was a good person. She didn't want to let anyone suffer more than they had to. But then again... in a way she'd always known why she was keeping him close on one hand, while pushing him away on the other. On some very deep level she'd known. And right now that level was about to surface.

Her thoughts were interrupted by his answer "Well, the words _thank_ and _you_ are usually a good idea."

"Yeah. I guess they are." she finally answered and still didn't actually thank him. Some part of her refused to.

There was a short silence before she asked: "Why did you do it? Risk your life to get the dagger **just** so you could give it to me? I thought if you were ever going to get your hands on that thing you'd use it to get your revenge on Gold. That is what you've been longing to do for so long."

And Hook did something unsual: He was silent. At least for a very long moment. And when he replied there was nothing but honesty in his voice and eyes. It was just like when they've been in the car. "I told you I wasn't going to let anything happen to you."

"You also told me if it were me or your revenge I'd lose."

He shrugged his shoulders and all he said was "Well..."

Emma couldn't help thinking that he looked like he was about to say something else, even wanted to, but didn't. That was weird, even for him. But she didn't get to think about it much, because someone knocked on the door. While she got up and walked towards it she said "Maybe we should have you checked for a concussion." and was kidding, but wasn't sure if his behavior was something to make fun about.

But when she opened the door she suddenly had another problem... "Mr. Gold", she said in surprise, her eyes wide open. Two sworn enemies in one and the same room? This was never going to end well. "What are you doing here? I thought you were going to hide the dagger."

"I did. And now I'm back." he attempted to come in but Emma blocked his way.

"Why?" she asked and knew very well that now she was the one with the odd behavior.

"My son is still here. Isn't he?"

Oh right. That. "Yes, he is but-" she didn't get to finish because apparently Hook had decided to take a walk.

"I'm here, as well." he said and as Emma turned around she saw he was leaning against the stairs and was enjoying himself. Maybe he thought she would protect him against Gold, but even though he was right about that, it didn't mean she could. Gold always had his Magic-Card to play. Emma did somehow had magic as well, but she couldn't just use it whenever she wanted to.

Golds eyes darkened as he saw Hook and he was about to storm forward but this time Emma nearly tackeled him. "Hey, stay calm! Didn't Mary-Margaret tell you what happened? He's the one who gave us your dagger. He could have used it against you but he didn't!"

"Don't you see? That's just a trick. He has something he's after otherwhise he'd never given up something that powerful."

Wow. It wasn't until now that Emma realized Neal and Gold did have something in common... questioning Hooks intentions. Not a great topic for father-son-bonding, but better than nothing she guessed. However, the fact that Neal had now shown a similarity to Gold freaked Emma out. Up until now she thought they didn't have anything in common and the world had looked better that way.

"See? Told you." Neal was suddenly back and coming down the stairs, together wird David and Mary-Margaret.

"We heard noises..." David explained but Emma thought he must have been perfectly happy to come back down here.

She sighted. "Look, just because you and your Dad finally found something to agree on, doesn't make it true!"

"Not that I mind everyone talking about me, like I wasn't here", Hook blend in. "I don't have a hidden agenda. Most people don't seem to think I'm capable of something like that anyway, so why should I even try." Emma wasn't sure if the tone in his voice was sarcasm or something else.

"Oh, then why did you do it?" Gold asked in a dangerous voice after he managed to walk past Emma and now slowly toward Hook. "Because you're suddenly sorry for everything you did and want to apologize?"

"Do you?" Hook replied in a cold voice.

"**You took Bae's mother away!**" Gold yelled.

"Think about it. If I wouldn't have done that you and your son would be dead by now and oh yes, Henry wouldn't exist at all. Emma – maybe. But I wouldn't be too sure about that. So I guess everything has turned out just fine, hasn't it?"

Emma frowned. He had a point but... wouldn't he usually have mentioned that Gold killed Milah?

"You have a very weird definiton of _just fine_." Neal said and was trying hard not to punch him, a blind person would have seen that. She agreed with what he said, though. Sure, everything would have turned out very different but that didn't mean that different couldn't also be good. Emma couldn't imagine a world without Henry but then again, maybe it would be a world without her as well. It didn't matter anyway, because this was the only reality there was and therefore the only she had to worry about.

Hook sighted. "Maybe I should go. Your daddy was probably right", he said to Emma. "bringing me here was a bad idea." He started walking to the door and was almost gone when – to everyone's surprise – David stepped forward.

"Wait, how did you know I said that? You were unconscious." he pointed out and... was... right. Emma didn't realize that this quickly.

Hook stopped, thought for a moment and turned around. He was now standing right beside Emma but she didn't move away. "Ah... right. Well, I guess that's that..."

Suddenly he grabbed Emma and almost twisted her arms. It caught her by surprise and he was too strong for her to struggle free. "What the hell are you doing?" she asked but he had already held his hook to her hand. Everyone else was on alarm but they couldn't do anything without risking him hurting her.

"Let's just say I changed my mind. I'd like the dagger back. I made a mistake in giving it to that blond Swan here. A mistake I'd like corrected." he said in a dark voice. "So why don't you" he was talking to Neal, who was frozen. "convince your father to share it's new location. Or you could not do it and watch her die..."

Emma couldn't see him, because she faced the others, but she **could** feel the sharp end of his hook cutting through the flesh of her throat, causing it to bleed.

* * *

... Didn't I say you would agree with the name of the chapter? I was right, wasn't I? xD

And since I don't want to spoiler you I'll just leave you with that and hope you won't kill me xD I do, however, ask you not to say that this doesn't make any sense. Because you might not know everything just yet ;)


	9. That truth, you wish was a lie

Hey guys :)  
I'm back and I brought an explanation with me!

**Lisa1972 & CSI Encyclopedia -** It's always nice to see when a cliffhanger works :)  
**5289belle -** Thank you, you're review made mine as well ^^  
**CaptainSwan -** Read and find out  
**ChamberlinofMusic -** Thank you very much that means a lot to me!

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**Chapter 9: That truth, you wish was a lie  
**

Emma wasn't sure if she felt scared, confused, outraged or disappointed. Probably everything at once and yet nothing at all. If she had seen it coming she would maybe have been able to fight him off, but it was too late now. Hook only had one hand but he didn't need more to keep her covered. This was the second time today she realized that he really was someone you should be afraid of – that he was everything but a joke. His hook didn't hurt her a lot, she didn't feel more than a sharp sting, but his betrayal really got to her. Not simply because she couldn't make any sense out of his behaviour, mainly because she had just started to actually trust him and he had proven her wrong to do so.

"What the hell is wrong with you? You gave her dagger about an hour ago. Why would you change your mind?" Neal asked angrily.

"What can I say, I'm a complex man. A single-cell organism like you might be incapable of understanding, so you might as well do yourself a favour and stop thinking about it."

Emma couldn't help but thinking that his choice of words was very unusual, she didn't recognize the Hook she knew at all. Not that she knew him very well, but still. Then again, maybe he had just been putting on an act all these times before. And she fell for it. Still it just didn't – make – sense.

"Maybe I should give you some privacy to discuss whether you want to be responsible for the death of your daughter, aka ex-girlfriend, aka mother of your child, aka the woman who helped you to find your son. I know it must be a very tough decision. – Come on, Darling." He navigated Emma out of the door. "You have an hour. If you have not made a decision by then I take it you don't want to participate in our arrangement. If you decide you do want to save her life call her cell. I will get the message." And then he forced her down the stairs. Before they could even leave the building Emma felt a dizziness coming over her and everything around her went dark for just a second – and then she was standing on a ship. His ship, she assumed.

He now let go of her but grabbed her by her arm, pulling her through a door and down some stairs.

"What happened?" she asked.

"We teleported. Such an elegant way to travel, don't you think?"

"Since when can pirates teleport?"

"When they have someone who kindly supports them." He pushed another door open and threw Emma into the small room behind it. The only reason why she managed to stay on her feet was because she hit a wall, which hurt, but she tried not to make noise of pain.

"Cora? Really?"

He didn't say anything, all he did was look at her in a way she couldn't quite indentify. Was it regret? Guilt?

"Why would you do that after giving me the dagger instead of her? **Why** go back to her?"

"Oh, my dear." Suddenly Cora appeared behind him. "Sometimes... people don't have choice." When Emma saw what she was holding in her hand she froze… it was a heart.

Suddenly she realized the look in Hooks eyes: It was pain. Pain he felt, because Cora was making him do all this when he didn't want to. Emma was speechless. She should have known…

"Did you really think you could win?" Cora asked with the hint of superior grin on her lips.

"You took his heart when we left you after he gave me the dagger." Emma said more to herself than to anyone else, her voice was barely a whisper.

"Yes."

"But why? You could have just taken me hostile yourself, you didn't need to" _hurt_ crossed her mind but she said: "use him!"

"Oh but it was such a delight to have you fooled."

Emma swallowed. She was very scared but also started to get angry. "Why do you still want that god damn dagger?! You already have one puppet, why not use him to kill us and you're all set?"

"Compared to Rumple Hook is worth nothing. Did you think all we need him for are three simple assassinations?"

_Of course not, because** that** would be insane._ Emma kept that thought to herself.

"He is capable of doing so much more for us."

To be honest Emma didn't even want to know. All of this was too much for her already. She wasn't good at handling one disaster after another, she sure as hell wasn't the hero everyone thought she was. Okay, so she broke the curse… but let's face it – she did that by accident! She had meant to kiss Henry goodbye. How was she supposed to know that that was to save everyone? But apparently no one saw it that way.

"I actually think she has a point, mother." Of course Regina was here as well. "We have Hook to blame for it. Why wait for the dagger to have her killed later when we can do it right now?" There was a sparkle in her eyes – she was enjoying this.

"Patience, Regina. You will get your revenge soon enough." Then she turned to Hook. "Get the phone."

Without a moment of hesitation he walked over to Emma, who tried to back away but couldn't because the room was just too small. It was harder than she would have thought to see him like his – being Cora's puppet and at the same time the pain and disgust in his eyes. Emma knew that once Cora had someone's heart that person had no chance but to do as she told them to, she'd seen the same thing happening to Aurora. Except that she hadn't been able to express any of her true feelings while being under Cora's influence – for some reason Hook was.

When he leaned forward to take Emma's phone she tried to fight him off, but there was no point. This Hook didn't play around and sure as hell wasn't going to waste any time – he used his hook to cut her arm, after she tried to hit him, and without real afford he got her phone ouf of her jacket pocket.

"Hook!" she said as he walked away again but he didn't stop at her voice. Emma didn't stop because of that either. "I know you can hear me and I can see that you still know how you really feel about all of this, which I can only assume is a cruel joke", she shot Cora an angry look while Hook gave her the phone. "But you're better than that! You can fight this! You have survived hundrets of years to get your revenge... and you got it. You came into his world and you hurt him where he was most vulnerable. You found a way to do all of that... you can find a way to fight her off."

Cora laughted. "Oh dear. That is not possible. You're right I did leave him knowing that what he's doing isn't what he wants to do. But that doesn't change anything. I can make him kill you without hesitation. I can make him kill himself. There is no way he can break free from this unless, of course, I give him his heart back. And that is never going to happen."

Emma swallowed hard. "That is all very true. But I made a mistake when I first came to Storybrooke. I didn't believe anything Henry told me. I didn't believe because I thought it was **not possible**", she used the same words as Cora had on purpose. "and I was proven wrong." To be completely honest she didn't know where she was going with this. Her head kept saying there was no way for Hook to break free unless he got his heart back. But for some reason she needed to believe that there was another way to save him, because she also knew that Cora would rather crush his heart than let him have it again. No matter how this was going to plan out, Hook was as good as dead. And she just couldn't think that way.

"Well, this time, Miss Swan", Regina said. "You better believe that it's not possible. It will spare you some disappointment." She used magic to close and lock the door, leaving Emma alone. Alone and wondering what was going to happen next.

Where the others going to give them the dagger? What difference did it make, really? By the look of things – Cora and Regina have won either way.

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Things don't look too good, do they?

Please tell me what you think about this chapter. See you next time, dearies!


	10. That answer, you now have

Hello my dearies :)

I have a new chapter for you!

**ChamberlinofMusic -** I'm glad you like way it's headed :)  
**Lisa1972 -** I agree! But maybe someone already has, who knows?  
**5289belle -** It's great to see you are so thrilled about it :)  
**saku-lee -** I don't know what the "lolz" was about? xD But thanks^^

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**Chapter 10: That answer, you now have  
**

Emma didn't know how long she had been in her prision, if you could call it that. She had tried to kick down the door which, judging by how it looked like, should have been easy. Turned out: It was impossible. True, she wasn't a trained fighter, but she didn't think even _The Hulk_ would be able to get out of here. Regina must have put some kind of spell over the door, so that it would only open from the outside. Maybe it would also open if you succeeded in three tasks, or sang a song to it – she didn't know what kind of stuff an Evil Queen from an Enchanted Forest would come up with. Emma may have seen some things by now but somehow she got the feeling that she still didn't know the frist thing about this other world which, technically, was her home.

After she had realized that it was pointless to throw herself at the door she had just been sitting there and waiting. Waiting for something to happen... she knew that the waiting couldn't take more than an hour. The others had that long to decide what to do – but Emma was pretty sure that there was no decision to make. If anything this was a question of whether or not they were able to talk Gold into giving up the new location of the dagger in under 60 minutes. He was the only one who knew where it was and yet the only one who didn't care if Emma lived or died.

If she'd have a say in this, she'd tell them to hold still and do nothing. If they gave them the dagger Emma was dead anyway, along with her parents, possibly Neal and maybe even Hook. And if they didn't give them the dagger Emma would die and, again, maybe Hook. At this thought Emma was terrified, but even more she was angry. They had dragged Hook into this, when he'd had nothing to do with any of this. He had history with Gold and kind of kept popping up in Emma's life but he didn't deserve to die because of that. He had a good soul, she knew that now. The pain she had seen in his eyes had been so real. Helping Cora against Emma was the very last thing he wanted to do but he had no choice. Emma didn't know a lot about this Heart-Business (in magical, as well as in emotional matters) but she knew that much.

She wasn't just angry at Cora because of Hook. She was also angry, and maybe even more, at Regina, for doing this to Henry. Despite of everything that's happened, everything she has done as the Evil Queen, in a way he still loved her. Of course he did, she raised him... but if she really did this, if she would be responsible for Emma's death Henry would be devastated, not to mention screwed up for the rest of his life. If she truly loved him, how could she do this?

After what seemed like forever the door got opened. It was Hook who entered, but he was alone. Emma couldn't tell whether or not that was a good sign but even though she knew he was being controlled... it was good to see him. Something was different about him, though. He seemed more like himself than before.

None of them said anything, before Emma broke the silence: "So. Did Cora send her walkie-talkie to bring me to my execution?"

Hook bit his lip. "You know, everyone keeps saying I'm an idiot... but sometimes you're not too smart yourself. It's **that** kind of talk that pissed her off even more."

Emma startled. That was something Hook would have said... the real one. She got to her feet and looked at him, but didn't come closer. "It's you."

He slightly nodded. "Yes. Sometimes it is... Although... I can't let you go. I can talk to you but if you try to escape I will... hurt you." he sounded disgusted by this. "She did this before. She didn't control what I said until after you reminded me that I had told you you would lose against my desire for vengeance."

Emma remembered that moment. She had thought he had looked like wanting to say something but then hadn't. "She stopped you." she said. "You were about to say something but... she stopped you." He didn't say thing. "What was it?"

He shrugged his shoulders. "Does it matter?"

"I'm going to die no matter **how** this situation plays out... the very least I deserve is an answer. I still don't understand why you helped me."

Hook exhaled in frustration. "She can here every word we speak, you know that."

She shook her head. "I don't care."

He looked at her for a very long moment before he said: "I was going to say... you **did** lose. In Manhattan - you lost. But on my way back here I had a lot time to think. More than I could handle, but it made me realize something. I had admitted to myself that I cared about you the moment I saw you. And the more time I spend with you the more I cared. But when you told me to actually **act** like it... I felt like I would be betraying Milah. And I have sworn to myself I'd never let go of her and it was that very moment when I realized that I was about to do that. Someone once told me my heart was rotten. And she was right. It was riven by grief and vengeance, that was everything I was able to feel. Everything that kept me going. My love for Miliah had been replaced by revenge a long time ago and I didn't even realize it. I wasn't capable of truly caring about anyone in my life... until you came along. You awoke that part of me again and I felt guilty that it was you and not the memory of Milah. That's why-" he stopped and Emma knew instantly that he was going to say _I pushed you away_. Instead he ended with: "I said all of that."

Emma had found it harder and harder to breath as he had spoken and it took her a while before she was able to say something. "When you say _care_..." This question had hovered over her since Neal had spoken about this as love.

"Don't make me say it, Beautiful." he reached out his hand to touch her cheek, but drew it back before he actually did. He seemed afraid of himself, of what Cora could make him do, anytime she pleased to. "The last time I told someone... **that**. She died. And let's just say I believe in bad omen. I have learned to associate love - with death."

She swallowed. "I have learned to associate it with pain."

A half-smile loomed at his lips. "We're not too different from one another, you and I."

No. They weren't. They were everything but different. But before Emma could say anything he looked up and seemed like a dog who had heard a whistle, only he could hear. Then he sighted. Emma knew what that meant and lowered her head.

"We have to go." he said.

: : : : : : :

Hook had had the order to bring Emma to the deck and so he did. Unfortunately he also had the order to do so, by grabbing her by her arm. She didn't mind him touching her, but it hurt, because it was the arm he had cut before.

When they reached the deck Emma felt like arriving late to a party. Everyone was already there – Cora, Regina and her parents, Mr. Gold and...

"Henry?!" she asked. "What did you bring him here for?" She didn't even care to ask why Neal wasn't here. She figured Gold hadn't wanted him to come and tied him up somewhere but it didn't matter. Right now all that mattered was that her son was here, when he shouldn't be!

Mary-Margaret and David both looked very uncomfortable. After they exchanged a look Mary-Margaret said: "We had to... they want the dagger. And..."

It was David, who continued: "Mr. Gold thought it would be a good idea to hide it **inside** Henry."

While Mr. Gold did nothing but slightly smiling at Cora and Regina, who, just like Emma, were deeply shocked.

"You did **what**?!" Regina was outraged.

In this case though, Emma wasn't too far behind her: "You put the dagger **into my kid**?!"

"It seemed like the perfect place."

"Are you out of your mind? I don't know about your world but here we don't hide **sharp knifes in 10-year-old children**!" In this moment her worry about Henry overshadowed everything else.

"It's okay. It doesn't hurt me. I don't even notice it. He asked me if he could hide it with me and I said yes."

Emma, as well as Regina, looked at him completely horrified. Regina took a view steps toward Henry, very slowly, as if he was threatening them to jump off a cliff. "Why?" she was really worried about him, Emma could see and hear it. "If you would have said no he couldn't have done it. That kind of magic can only be used with permission." She took a sharp look at Gold. "But I bet you didn't tell him that, did you?"

"Yes, he did!" Henry replied and nearly yelled. "He told me everything and I made the decision by myself. If you get your hands on that dagger you are going to kill my family!"

It took Regina a while to reply. When she did her voice was almost weak and hurt. "**I** am your family, Henry."

"Not if you have my mom killed."

While Regina didn't seem to know what to say it was Gold who spoke again: "It doesn't matter anymore anyway, does it?" That little bastard seemed to be enjoying himself. Like he was already celebrating a victory over Cora and Regina. "As you may know the only way to get a hidden object out of someone is to kill that person and rip it out. And I highly doubt you're willing to do that. Are you?" He was talking to Regina who was paralyzed.

Maybe he was right about her. But there was another powerful witch, of whom Emma didn't think she'd back away from killing Henry in order to get what she wanted.

"That is not the only way." Cora said who apparently knew more about this than Regina did.

Gold looked at her without any emotion for a moment before he replied: "It might not be the only way to break through this spell, but it **is** the only way for you in this situation."

"What's the other way?" Emma asked.

"Henry needs to give it up voluntarily." Cora replied. "Which he will."

Emma snorted. "You really don't know him. If Henry has his mind set on something it stays there."

An superior smile appeared on Cora's face. "Does it? Even when it comes to you?"

"Mother!" Regina said. "You can't kill her, not in front of Henry!"

"Not ever!" Henry interjected.

"Oh, I wasn't going to. I was suggesting for Miss Swan to kindly ask him to give us the dagger."

"And why would I do that?"

"Because, my dear" with a single movement of her hand Hooks heart appeared in it again. "If you possess someone's heart... you can do more than just control him." She stared squeezing the heart just a little bit and Emma heard a scream and no one was holding her arm anymore. She turned around and saw that Hook had his hand pressed against his chest and was down on his knees.

Seeing this, Emma somehow felt like Cora was currently squeezing her heart as well. She looked down at him and felt tears rushing into her eyes. "No..." She knew what this meant. She'd seen it before... with Graham. He had looked just like this before he died – supposedly because of a heart attack.

"**That**, Miss Swan, is why you would ask Henry for the dagger. Because if you don't", she squeezed harder and Hook let out another terrifying scream, his face screwed up with pain. "Well... you get the idea."

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I feel like I should note that this fanfic is near it's end. I can't tell you exactly how many chapters there are to come, maybe one or two or three... mostly because I haven't decided on HOW to end the fanfic yet. I thought I knew how it was going to end when I started it but now I'm not that sure anymore.

Anyhow - as ususal, please leave a Review, they are really the only way for me to find out what you think about the story. I'm working on that telepathic-thing, but haven't mastered it yet lol


	11. That journey, which is now over

My dearies, I'm back and I brought the last Chapter with me... and the reason why the Fanfic is called _A Journey's End_!

**5289belle -** Thank you, I'm glad you like it! I like Henry, too, he's such a great kid :)  
**Lisa1972 -** And if it doesn't work; at least it'll hurt like hell. I get your point :D  
**saku-lee -** Thank you!  
**CSI Encyclopedia -** Pretty much, yes.  
**tangled6 -** Now, I never threw the words 'Happy Ending' out there, did I? ;)  
**islndgurl777 -** Thanks! I always love when surprises work out :)

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**Chapter 11: That journey, which is now over  
**

"I don't like to be kept waiting." Cora said impatiently.

Emma could only do so much as hold back a _'Well I don't like to be blackmailed, but what are you going to do?'_ while she got down on her knees. Her were eyes filled with sadness, when Hook looked at her. She wanted to say… something, but didn't know what. It was almost like every word she ever knew had suddenly fallen out of her head.

But it didn't matter, because Hook had something to say as well. "It's okay, Love."

Immediately Emma shook her head. "None of this is **okay**_._" Her voice was weak and hurt, but she didn't care.

"I have prolonged my life for hundreds of years. It was bound to end some time. And I can't imagine a better reason to die than to save your life."

Tears shot in her eyes. "I haven't decided what do you yet."

"Yes, you have. You just don't want to admit it."

He was right. She shook her head with a light, sad smile on her lips. "Why can you always see through me?"

He grinned. "Not always. Remember when you left me with the giant? I hadn't seen that coming." Emma couldn't help but smiling but as once was caught by sadness again. "Ah… good old times, huh?" He added but then his grin fainted. "The bottom line is that they can't have the dagger. No matter what the costs may be. Besides, who guarantees you that she won't crush my heart, no matter what you do? Because I'm pretty sure she will. She's an evil witch after all, **who can do anything, except reducing her own wrinkles**_._" Those last words he spoke out very loud, which caused Cora to put more pressure on his heart. Again he let out another horrifying scream.

Emma jerked but there was nothing she could do to help him right now. He was right, too. Cora could just kill him, no matter what she did, it wasn't like she was trustworthy. "Wasn't it you who had just lectured me about what _not_ to say, in order to not piss Cora off?"

"I'm a dead man walking already. Or... sitting. Technically. It doesn't matter what I say." By now he already had trouble breathing and even failed in shrugging his shoulders. It broke Emma's heart to see him like that.

"I'm so sorry." her voice was barely a whisper by now and he didn't reply. He had a look in his eyes, though, which she recognized. It was the one he had had when he had told her to trust him, after giving her the dagger.

"Mom" Henry said and Emma looked at him (as did Regina but she realized in that very moment that he hadn't meant her and lowered her head). "He can't die because of this."

"Yes, he can!" It was Hook. "If you give them the dagger your Mom's going to die, so are your grandparents and who knows who else. Do you want that?" Emma didn't like Hook talking to Henry this roughly but she couldn't exactly argue with him right now.

Henry startled and then turned to Regina. "How can you do that? Do you honestly think things will **ever** be okay between us when you go through with this?!" Emma wasn't sure if this was a tactical move (Henry was pretty smart) or if he was truly begging her not give him a reason to hate her forever. Maybe it was a little bit of both.

Regina looked at him again and Emma saw her eyes were shimmering. "You don't understand, Henry. I have... always lost. I can't lose again."

"You'll lose **me**!"

Now Emma thought that she saw a tear running down Regina's cheek befor she said: "I already have."

"Not for long, my dear." Cora spoke as motionless as usual. Sometimes Emma thought she didn't have a heart herself. She turned to Henry. "There are spells we can cast to make you **remember** how much you love your real mother. Not the woman who gave birth to you and then threw you away. You **do** remember that part about your beloved Emma, don't you?"

If Cora wasn't holding Hook's heart right now Emma would have jumped on her. "How dare you talk like that in front of my child?" she said instead.

"It's nothing but the truth, no matter how much you dislike it. And let's get back to the point, shall we?" She held up Hook's heart again. "Ask him. Or someone dies. Guess who."

Emma shot her a dark glare but then looked back at Hook, who knew exactly what was going to happen. He even wanted it, because he felt like he had to play **hero **all over sudden. A part of her was annoyed by his stubbornness, another was deeply impressed and yet another one hurt so badly.

After a moment he asked: "Am I granted a dying wish?"

She didn't even ask what it was – she didn't even **think** about what she was doing until after she had already leaned toward him and gently kissed him. When he engaged into the kiss it became very passionate and for a second, just a tiny moment, she was able to forget the part where his death was only a heartbeat away. Which could not be more literal.

As they kissed Emma felt a strength awaking deep inside of her. As if by instinct (she hardly even noticed it) she put her right hand on his chest, where his heart would be, when she felt the feeling inside of her growing stronger and stronger. Before she knew it there was a blast of air and for that very second she felt like she was one with Hook. It was nothing she could quite explain how it felt like, or how she knew what it was – it was simply there. And then it wasn't anymore.

Emma drew away from him a little bit, seeing that he was just as confused as her – whatever just happened, he must have felt it, too. But now she felt completely normal again, except of course for the fact that she was still in shock about having realized how she felt about Hook.

"Well, well..." Mr. Gold said. "Didn't see that coming." When Emma frowned and turned around she saw a light smile on his lips, which indicated that he somehow **had** seen it coming.

"What do you mean?" she asked and suddenly realized that everyone else was staring at them in astonishment.

Mary-Margaret finally found her voice again. "Emma... look!" She pointed toward something and as Emma's eyes followed she could see that Cora looked not only astonished but was shocked to her very bones. It took her a moment to realize something else: The heart in her hand was gone, all there was left was ashes. Cora must have crushed it while they kissed but she hadn't noticed. Apparently - Hook hadn't either because he was still sitting next to her, living and breathing, while Cora and Regina, by the look of things, were questioning their belief system. And on this matter; Emma wasn't too far behind them...

It was Regina who spoke out loud what everyone was clearly thinking. "**How** is that **possible**?"

"That's a very good question..." Emma added, looking at Hook again, still not believing that he was still here. He didn't look like he did either. It wasn't until then that she realized her hand was still resting on his chest where she felt a heart beating. Except... that it felt different. It wasn't like she felt his heartbeat, it felt like her own. As if they were synchronized.

It was Cora who awoke from the state of shock first, who seemed to have decided simply not to care anymore how Hook could still be alive. "Alright. I guess I'll have to presume Plan B."

With a move of her hand Regina was surrounded by dark clouds. All she could say was a fading "Mother?" and then she was gone. Cora had probably transported her to some other place. But why?

She then turned to Emma. "Remember. Everything that happens now... is on you."

Emma frowned but Cora had already shot something, which looked like a lighting toward Henry. She was up in no time, running toward him, yelling "HENRY!"

David, who was far closer to him, shot forward, wrapped his arms around Henry and pulled him out of the line of fire, leaving Gold to repel Cora's attack, which hit the ship instead and set it on fire. While Emma arrived at David, taking Henry into her arms, Hoom seemed to had found a sword somewhere (it was his ship after all, he would know where to find one quickly), shot toward Cora and managed to catch her of guard. He ran the sword through her chest and for the first time Emma knew her, she heard her scream out of pain.

Gold, however, didn't think this would be enough. "That's pointless. She ripped out her own heart a long time ago."

"And who said I was going to stab her to death, old man?" Hook replied without looking at Gold. Using the sword he was now able to swirl the witch around, throwing her directly into the fire she had caused, which spread itself out very quickly. Cora let out a horrible scream and Mary-Margaret buried her face in David's chest, who had taken her into his arms. Emma made sure that Henry didn't see anything either.

"**EVERYONE, OFF THE SHIP!**" Hook yelled and no one seemed to want to argue about this. He led them off the ship but they stayed on the dock. Cora's spell had worn off, they could see the ship now. It didn't take long for it to catch on fire completely and collaps because of it. Gold used magic to push it away from the dock, to prevent it catching on fire as well.

Emma still held Henry in her arms as she looked over to Hook, who stared at his burning ship. She didn't realize Henry was watching her until he said: "It's okay, I'm fine. Go to him." Emma smiled at her son and kissed him on the forehead. How he had turned out to be such a good kid, with Regina having raised him for 10 years, she'd never know.

While Henry was going over to Mary-Margaret and David, Emma walked over to Hook. "I'm sorry about your ship." she said.

To her surprise he shrugged his shoulders. "I don't need it anymore. I'm exactly where I need to be." She took his hand into hers and gave him an encouraging smile. When he looked at her she saw that he took the loss of his ship harder, than he wanted to admit. However, he hadn't lied and Emma silently agreed with him: He was where he needed to be. And he wasn't going anywhere anytime soon. His journey was over.

* * *

Like I said - this was the last CHAPTER. However, there IS going to be an EPILOGUE, just in case some of you might be wondering what the hell happened in this chapter ;) I'll explain it in the Epilogue. Stay tuned!


	12. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

Emma opened the door to her (or technically: Mary-Margarets) apartment, which was now about to get really crowded. Henry, Mary-Margaret and David were right behind here, just as Mr. Gold and of course Hook. Neal was still in the apartment. Gold had refused telling them what he actually did to him to keep him away. All he had said was that he had taken care of him, which covered anything from tying him to the fridge to killing him. She highly doubted the latter, but still...

"Ding Dong, the witch is-" she started as she walked into the apartment and then saw Neal – behind actual **bars**. Gold had somehow put bars in the middle of her apartment. "...dead..." she ended her sentence but then turned to Gold while pointing at Neal. "Undo this."

While Gold shot her an annoyed look and made the bars disappear with a movement of his hand Neal asked: "Wait, what? Who's dead, Cora or Regina?" Henry then ran toward him to hug his dad.

"Cora. She set the ship on fire and Hook threw her right into it." Emma said and sounded impressed.

Hook raised one eyebrow. "You still sound surprised by this."

"I'm not. What I'm surprised of is that you're still alive. I mean Cora **did** crush your heart."

Neal shook his head, trying to follow but obviously it didn't work. "I'm sorry, what?"

Gold, ignoring him, said in a tone which Emma considered to be arrogant: "What **I** can't believe is that you truly believe Cora is dead. Not that anyone asked for my opinion."

"But... she burned." Mary-Margaret said. "We all saw that."

Gold fixed her with his eyes. "I've known this woman long enough to know that she is not killed that easy."

"You think she's still alive?" Emma asked.

"I don't think, I'm rather sure of it, Miss Swan. However, I believe she has retreated for now and once she surfaces again, she has Regina to deal with. She shouldn't be too happy when she finds out that her mother tried to kill Henry."

"Okay **hold on**!" Neal said. "Someone please explain to me what happened and why Hook is still with you, because the last time **I** saw him he was kidnapping Emma."

Hook grinned. "Well, mate. You missed out on a lot." he said while putting an arm around Emma, who rolled her eyes in annoyance.

"See, I get why you're doing this, but **don't**!" She tried to get away from him but Hook held her close to him. His grip wasn't too tight, she could have gotten away if she had really wanted to. Still, this didn't feel right with Neal around. "You don't have to do this just because Neal is here." he said to him in a low voice.

"I'm not. Him being here is just a bonus." he said but then Emma slightly pushed him away, but she was still holding his hand.

Mary-Margaret and David ended up telling Neal what happened, with random commenting from Henry every once and a while.

"That's..." Neal didn't seem to find any words how it was and Emma couldn't blame him. She wasn't sure if the was more disturbed by the fact that she was now dating Hook (was she? Oh god, she was, wasn't she? She hadn't really thought about it that way until now) than about anything else.

"And why is Hook still alive?" he asked after a while.

"Oh yes. That." Hook said. "Now. If **anyone**", he didn't look at anyone specific (he was totally looking at Gold) "happened to have an explanation for that - I'm all ears."

"Yeah, us too." Mary-Margaret said. "I have never heard of anyone surviving... something like this."

"Because it's never happened before." Gold said. "And that would be because no one like Emma has ever existed before. She's still the Savior. She possesses a kind of magic that Cora hasn't dealt with before. To be quiet honest even I didn't have any idea how exactly it would turn out to be, when I created the curse. But it seems that, when emotionally challenged you subconsciously step into the magic, which is anchored deep inside of you. It happened when you broke the curse and it happened now."

"And back in our land... when Cora tried to take your heart." Mary-Margaret said. Emma was too astonished to nod, but that was of course true. They hadn't ever figured out why that had happened and now they knew.

Ignoring David ("Wait, she did what?") Hook remarked: "As fascinating as this all is... it doesn't explain why **I** am still alive."

Gold still didn't seem too happy with **that** fact, but also looked like he had made his peace with it. "When the two of you kissed, Emma stepped into her magic, which triggered something even more powerful than that. In fact, the **most **powerful thing when it comes to magic."

"True Love!" Henry said.

Emma immediately lowered her head. If this wasn't embarrassing, she didn't know what was. Hook, however, gave her hand a squeeze which did make her feel better.

"Exactly." Gold continued. "Now, we all know a True Love's Kiss can break any curse, but someone with Emma's abilities can do even more than that. I believe the Love that connects the two of you has bound Hook's life to her's. As long as she lives – he lives."

This actually made sense and explained a lot. She **had** felt like she and Hook were **one** at one moment, that was when it must have happened. Emma took a deep breath.

"But wouldn't that mean he's not able to feel anything anymore? I remember that when someones heart is taken their emotions are gone as well." David asked.

Hook shrugged. "I don't feel any different."

"Which is not surprising. After all it was true love which saved your life and that is the most intense feeling you can have. This should have enabled you to keep your abilty to feel."

This whole true-love-talk was still too much for Emma. She had grown up in a world where that wasn't a medical solution to everything, but just something you read about in fairytales. The fact that she now had a true love was... in a way unsettling, but she had to admit that it also felt really really good.

After a moment of long silence Neal looked at Emma. "So... you and Hook."

As weird as it was to talk to him about something like that – the sound of that was great. "Yeah. Me and Hook."

"Yeah, about that..." Hook suddenly pulled her away from the others just a bit to have some privacy. "I have a name, you know."

She nodded and then teased him with a grin: "I do... but no offense, Jones it like the most boring name there is. Every other person is called that in this world."

He grinned and rolled his eyes. "Please, like Swan is so much better..."

"Well that wasn't what I was born, was it? I was born a..." she frowned. "Wow, I don't even know the last name of my parents." She knew Nolan and Blanchard, of course, but those weren't their real names. "Remind me to ask them if they even have one." She didn't think the Enchanted-Forest-Residents had been too big on last names.

Hook smiled and wrapped his arms around her. "Will do. In the meantime I suggest you call me by my name anyway."

She responded with a smile herself. "Alright... Killian."

He moaned. "That sounds great coming from your lips. Although I can imagine an even better use for them."

"Oh, can you? And what would that be?"

"Practicing that thing everyone was just talking about. What was it called... oh, yeah: True Love's Kiss."

And while he leaned down to kiss her, Emma realized that he might have been right about what he'd said before: His journey was over. And so was her's. But they had another journey right ahead of them, except this time: Together.

* * *

Alright, this is it dearies. I'm aware of the fact that I might be a little... out there with the idea of binding them together but I thought it was kind of romantic. However, I hope you liked the way it ended! :) I'm not sure if I'm going to write another Captain Swan Fic (or maybe even a Sequel to this one). For now I'm concentrating on another fanfic but maybe when I'm done with that and if an idea hits me.

I'm pretty sure I thanked everyone at least a thousand times already, but again: Thank you all for reading this story! It actually has 80 followers by now which is just W O W! But extra EXTRA thanks go out to those who have been reviewing :) You guys are the best.


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